A 21-year-old New Hampshire woman remained in a Boston hospital with life-threatening injuries yesterday following a two-car crash on Barnes Road that marred Fourth of July festivities on the Vineyard Wednesday afternoon.
The crash left five people injured, three of them seriously, state police said.
The three people were later flown by medical helicopter to Boston hospitals, including Heather LaFlamme, 21, of Berlin, N.H., who was reported in critical condition at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston Thursday afternoon.
A preliminary investigation by state troopers from the Oak Bluffs state police barracks found that a red 2012 Jeep Wrangler with four occupants from New Hampshire and a black 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan driven by a 19-year-old Cambridge man collided near the entrance to the Airport Mobil station just after 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The Jeep, traveling southbound on Barnes Road, apparently pulled to the right side of the road and then turned to the left to make a U-turn. The Volkswagen, which was traveling behind the Jeep, came up on the left side of the Jeep, broadsiding it during the U-turn, state police said. The collision caused the Jeep to roll over and the Tiguan to veer off the road.
Ms. LaFlamme was ejected from the Jeep’s back seat, state police said.
The Jeep’s other back seat passenger, Seth Jones, 26, of Dummer, N.H., was flown to Boston and admitted to Beth Israel Hospital with serious injuries. The Jeep’s front seat passenger, Margaret Jones, 51, of Dummer, N.H., was also flown to Boston and admitted to Beth Israel with serious injuries.
The driver of the Jeep, Thomas C. Jones, 51, was transported to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital with serious injuries, state police said. The driver of the Tiguan, Benjamin T. Johnson, 19, was released after being taken to the Martha’s Vineyard hospital for evaluation.
Barnes Road was closed off while police, ambulance, fire and emergency medical technicians responded to the scene. Traffic snarls ensued among hundreds of cars that were making their way to Edgartown for the annual Fourth of July parade on a warm, sunny day that had begun with rain but saw blue skies by afternoon. Barnes Road remained closed at both ends from the blinker light intersection to West Tisbury Road, for more than five hours. The town of Edgartown sent out an automated text alert asking drivers to avoid the area as they drove into Edgartown for the 5 p.m. parade. The road was reopened to all traffic just after 7 p.m.
State police said an investigation is continuing to determine if criminal charges are warranted. Troopers are looking into whether the speed of the Tiguan was a contributing factor, and whether the right-side placement of the Jeep’s steering wheel affected the driver’s vision while taking the U-turn, police said.
The state police collision analysis and reconstruction team were transported to the Island by the state police Air Wing on Wednesday. Investigators are interviewing witnesses and examining evidence to determine the sequence of events and potential causes of the accident, state police said, and no determinations have been made.
Troopers from the Oak Bluffs state police barracks and the Edgartown police are being assisted in the investigation by troopers from the state police crime scene services and the Cape and Islands detective unit.
This article appears in July 6, 2012.
OK, I have no idea why you have chosen to not post my first comment,so, I am asking again.
Is it not true that all of the above took place on AIRPORT ROAD
Accuracy in reporting in critical!
Once Again, before you criticize the reporting, perhaps YOU should get your facts straight. There is no AIRPORT ROAD, there is only Barnes Road. The Gazette’s reporting is accurate.
Who cares what road it is on. The people involved are in serious condition and one person has passed on. My prayers to the jones and laflamme families. And to Seth jones Semper Fidelis Marine.
No where in this article does it say that someone died. Why is there a comment that
To Not Once Again:
You are so wrong! It is indeed Airport Road.
Barnes road is on the “other” side of the blinker intersection. It has been the wash-a-shores who over the years have used the name of that road incorrectly that make you think it is Barnes! It is NOT Check it out! Airport Road!!!
I look forward to your
acknowledgment, and apology.
I am stunned that you can fight over such petty nonsense as to the technical name of the stretch of road when so many people are in serious condition. The article makes it clear where it happened. My thoughts and prayers are to those involved in the accident and to their families.
Your right it did not state someone died. I happen to know a victim. And have information not in the article. My apologies. As I was looking up the accident in the news I found two idiots fighting over the road name. Which I then decided to comment. It sickens me that people will take the time to fight over the name of a road in a news report when the name of the road doesn’t matter. Clearly shows the mentality in the area from which you are residing. Hopefully this cancer doesn’t spread any further.
there is a comment about someone passing because the people posting served with Seth. It is absolutely dispicable that you are arguing over the name of a road while one person has passed and a son and both parents are in critical condition. how dare you! thoughts and prayers to both families. Semper Fi Marine, give em hel Seth!
I was one of the first civilians on the scene of this crash. We rushed to help Seth and the other victims. Can someone with 100% certainty please confirm whether or not Seth passed?
To Annoyed and to Mike Havelock:
First let me remind you that name calling is simply not necessary under any circumstances or in any forum.
Second: You are talking apples and oranges. My concerns over accurate reporting and names of an Island road in no way reflects my thoughts or concerns for the injuries nor the suffering of victims and families. I am deeply sorry for both.
However, that is off subject. This is my home and has been for many, many generations. Arbitrarily changing a road name by the media is very important to me, as is accurate reporting of any news item.
Please, do not respond as I am not interested in engaging in discussion with anyone who has the ability to “spin” something so far off track, that they are incapable of offering pertinent feedback.
Mike from Boston: We thank you very much for your help and your concern. The person referenced as deceased is the 21 year old NH woman, Heather LaFlamme. This was reported in a later article.
I am so sorry for your loss.
As of today, July 9th, Seth still is in critical condition. His mother is in serious condition and his father has been released from the hospital. Continued prayers for this family would be nice. Also pray for Heather Laflamme’s family during this difficult time. I lost a daughter to a car accident and believe me it is difficult to deal with such tragedy.