CONCORD, N.H. — A New Hampshire State Police investigation has found Salisbury native and New Hampshire State Trooper Gary Ingham Jr. was at fault, and he could face disciplinary action in connection with a December cruiser accident in which he sustained serious injuries.
According to the accident report released yesterday, Sgt. Steven Wheeler, commander of the Technical Accident Reconstruction Unit who led the investigation, determined Ingham bears the responsibility for his cruiser's Dec. 2 collision with a tractor-trailer on Route 101 in Brentwood.
The findings conclude that Ingham was traveling too fast for the traffic conditions and failed to use due care, in violation of New Hampshire's Emergency Vehicles Statute.
Through evidence retrieved from the cruiser's power train module, as well as a separate speed calculation, Wheeler determined that Ingham, who was responding to a call for assistance, had accelerated up to approximately 101 to 102 mph as he merged onto Route 101 east from exit 8 in Brentwood.
"Trooper Ingham came upon vehicles traveling in the left and right lanes and was forced to pass on the right and ultimately lost control of his vehicle, traveled through the median and ultimately into the path of the tractor-trailer unit," which was traveling west, according to the press release from the state police.
Ingham was airlifted to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston following the accident, but, according to his father, retired Amesbury police Deputy Chief Gary Ingham, he was released the next night. The elder Ingham called his son "miraculously lucky" and said his son didn't suffer any broken bones but was banged up and had bumps and bruises.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured in the accident. Ingham's police dog, Diablo, suffered minor injuries and was expected to recover.
Wheeler's findings ruled out any improper operation by the operator of the tractor-trailer.
The crash, which took place around 9:30 p.m., closed a large portion of Route 101 from exit 7 to exit 9 for several hours, as rescue crews and a state police accident reconstruction team worked the scene.
During the accident investigation, Wheeler learned that Ingham had just cleared the Rockingham County Jail after processing a prisoner. He was en route to Seabrook, where police had requested a K-9 unit for their investigation of an accident in which the driver had fled the scene.
Wheeler reviewed operator and witness statements and highway and vehicle evidence. In addition to ruling out improper operation by the tractor-trailer driver, he also ruled out weather conditions, distraction from cellphone use, driver fatigue, roadway conditions or other vehicle conditions as factors. Drug or alcohol use by either operator was also ruled out.
Ingham could face disciplinary procedure because he was deemed to have caused the accident. According to the press release, whenever there is an at-fault accident involving a trooper, state police leadership analyzes the situation and applies appropriate disciplinary sanctions.
The process also has a component that identifies training deficiencies and whether existing policies need to be changed or modified in an effort to prevent accidents of this type in the future.
The press release said New Hampshire State Police are thankful no one else was injured in the accident. The release said while Ingham's injuries were severe, he has made a full recovery.
Ingham, 32, grew up in Salisbury and is a graduate of Triton Regional High School in Byfield. He joined the U.S. Marines, serving in Iraq, before joining the New Hampshire State Police more than eight years ago. As a member of State Police Troop A, Ingham, with his K-9 partner, patrols New Hampshire highways in Rockingham County, which includes the Seacoast area.
In August, Ingham was lauded by his superiors for going above and beyond the call of duty during a water rescue in Hampton Harbor. Ingham ran to assist an intoxicated man who jumped off the Hampton River Bridge and was yelling for help. The trooper jumped in and swam to the man, keeping him afloat until the rescue boat arrived.
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