Multi-Car Crash Ends With Serious Injuries And Closure Of I-95

GREENLAND, N.H. – Interstate 95 was closed for five hours last night following a multi-car crash in Greenland.

At 9:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, State Troopers assigned to the Troop A barracks responded to a multi-car crash on I-95 near mile marker 10.8 Greenland. Two Troopers were nearby at the time of the crash and arrived at the scene as the first emergency call was received. The first arriving Troopers quickly determined that the crash involved multiple cars and affected both sides of the interstate. The Troopers requested emergency medical services and began aiding those injured in the crash. Additional Troopers, with the help of local law enforcement officers, closed both sides of the interstate.

The preliminary investigation determined a 2017 Volkswagen Golf, driven by Thomas J. Daneault, 26, of Merrimack, and a 2022 Toyota 4Runner, driven by Adam A. Woods, 29, of Ipswich, Massachusetts, had been traveling southbound on I-95 in Greenland when, for reasons that remain under investigation, the Volkswagen rear-ended the Toyota, causing the Toyota to veer off the right side of the road before stopping on an embankment near woods next to the interstate. After striking the Toyota, the Volkswagen traveled across the center median and entered the northbound travel lanes on I-95. Daneault then reversed direction and started driving northbound when his Volkswagen got rear-ended by a 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI, driven by Christopher J. Dimare, 49, of Portsmouth. As a result of the second crash, Daneault’s car spun into the center of the road. Daneault was thrown from his car, which caught on fire and eventually became fully engulfed in flames. Subsequently, Dimare veered his Volkswagen off the right side of the road and struck several trees in the woods next to the interstate.

Daneault was transported to an area hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries, and Dimare was transported with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Toyota, Woods, was evaluated on the scene for possible minor injuries. An additional passenger in the Toyota was uninjured.

Due to the severity of the crash, members of the New Hampshire State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction (C.A.R.) Unit responded to the scene to assist members of Troop A with the investigation. While Troopers investigated the scene and emergency personnel worked to remove the involved cars, along with an extensive cleanup of a large debris field, I-95 was completely closed to traffic in both directions for around five hours. 

During the closure, northbound traffic was diverted off Exit 2 in Hampton and southbound traffic was diverted off Exit 3 in Portsmouth. The scene was ultimately cleared and all travel lanes were reopened at 2:07 a.m. 

Troop A was assisted at the scene by members of the Greenland Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Hampton Police Department, Seabrook Police Department, Greenland Fire Department, Portsmouth Fire Department, North Hampton Fire & Rescue, Rye Fire Department, Newington Fire Department, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and National Wrecker Service. 

All aspects of the crash remain under further investigation. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Shane McClure at Shane.M.McClure@DOS.NH.GOV.