According to authorities, a 19-year-old adolescent from New Hampshire is accused of driving under the influence before purposefully causing a fatal collision with a motorcycle.
According to a news release from the Litchfield Police Department, police responded to reports of a motor vehicle crash “on Route 102, between Cutler Road and Woodburn Road” in Litchfield, New Hampshire, on Wednesday, April 30 at around 9:17 p.m. local time.
“Upon arrival, officers located a Toyota Corolla and a Mitsubishi Outlander involved in a head-on collision. Nearby, a motorcycle was found in the woodline, and an adult male, wearing a helmet, was discovered unresponsive on the shoulder of the road,” police stated, adding that the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jeffrey Day, 57, was recognized by the police as the victim.
Police stated in the first post that the driver of the Toyota, identified as John Burke, had been taken into custody and that additional investigation had shown that he was “allegedly driving under the influence at the time of the incident.”
“An investigation led by the Litchfield Police Department, in collaboration with the New Hampshire State Police (NHSP) Detectives and the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit (CAR), determined that the collision between the Toyota and the motorcycle was intentional, based on witness statements and physical evidence,” the police stated.
According to the announcement, “The subsequent crash involving the Mitsubishi was not believed to be intentional, but occurred as the driver of the Mitsubishi swerved to miss the motorcycle as it slid into her lane.”
Negligent homicide, reckless manslaughter, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated DUI with serious bodily injury, reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, witness tampering, and vehicular assault are among the charges against Burke.
According to the police announcement, the suspect was arraigned at Merrimack District Court on Thursday, May 1.
“The driver of the Mitsubishi was treated for minor injuries on-site and released. The driver of the Toyota, later identified as Burke, was transported to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center and treated for minor injuries,” police said.
