Hit-and-Run Driver Hits Good Samaritan on NH’s Everett Turnpike

UPDATE: NH State Police late Friday night announced the arrest of Jose Enrique Cruz Vasquez, 30, of Manchester as the driver that struck the Good Samaritan below. He was charged with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and conduct after an accident.

A Good Samaritan was seriously injured after stopping at a crash scene on the Everett Turnpike at the start of the Friday morning commute.

New Hampshire State Police said a 59-year-old Manchester man parked on the right shoulder of the southbound lanes in Merrimack around 5:45 a.m., and walked across the highway to help at the crash that blocked the left lane between Exit 11 and Exit 12.

A preliminary investigation determined a vehicle then went off the right side of the highway and hit the man before leaving the scene. Police do not have a description of the vehicle.

The man who was struck was taken to Eliot Hospital in Manchester, and then flown via medical helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

It was foggy and the roads were wet on Friday morning.

Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident, passed through with a dash camera, or noticed a vehicle with front end damage and/or a broken passenger side headlight to contact State Police at 603-227-0114.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH