A passenger in a two-car crash in Rindge on Sunday was entrapped and seriously injured and was taken to the hospital along with a 1-year-old passenger who was transported as a precaution.
According to a release from the Rindge Police Department, at about 12:25 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, Rindge police and fire responded to Route 119 near Boss Contractors for a report of a two-vehicle crash.
When crews arrived, police determined the operator of one of the vehicles, Troy J. Ashmore, 31, of Rindge, was a town employee and requested assistance from the Jaffrey Police Department to investigate the scene.
Police said a 2008 Subaru Impreza was pulled over and stopped in the eastbound breakdown lane of Route 119. It was occupied by driver Michael E. Chandler, 48, of Jaffrey, and passenger Garey C. Smith, 71, of Jaffrey.
At the same time, a 2024 Nissan Frontier driven by Ashmore was traveling eastbound. Passengers in the Nissan included Katherine M. Ashmore, 31, of Rindge, and a 1-year-old infant.
Police said Chandler attempted to make a U-turn to return to the highway in the westbound lane and collided with the passenger side of Ashmore’s Nissan.
Katherine Ashmore was entrapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated. She sustained several fractured ribs and other injuries and was transported by Jaffrey-Rindge Memorial Ambulance to Monadnock Community Hospital, and has since been released. The infant was also transported as a precaution and had no noted injuries. Troy Ashmore, Chandler and Smith all reported no injuries at the scene.
Both vehicles sustained heavy damage and will likely be deemed total losses, police said. The vehicles were towed by Gauthier’s Auto Services in Jaffrey to Cliff’s Auto Body and Repair, also in Jaffrey.
The crash remains under investigation by the Jaffrey Police Department. Witnesses with additional information are asked to contact Jaffrey Sgt. Thomas Bishop at 603-532-7865 or Rindge Police Chief Rachel Malynowski at 603-899-5009.