High-speed pursue on Everett Turnpike completes in multivehicle crash
A stabbing and two carjackings led to a pursuit and a serious crash Friday afternoon on the Everett Turnpike in Nashua.
Witnesses described a wild scene when their slow Friday evening commute was interrupted by a speeding silver car and a massive crash that brought traffic to a standstill.
Police said a carjacking was reported on Main Street in Nashua, and the suspect fled the area in the stolen vehicle.
Officials later identified him as Jonathan Calvin, 31, of Nashua.
Fresh Hampshire State Police Lt. Nate Noyes said Calvin crashed on the Everett Turnpike inbetween exits four and Five. A woman stopped to help, and the suspect stabbed her in the gam and stole her car, Noyes said.
“He was moving very quickly and frantically, so that indeed caught our attention even further,” witness Craig Lawrence said. “It looked like he went back to the vehicle to get something, and we couldn’t truly tell what it was. But then when he came over, back to what looked like a silver vehicle, he embarked striking the person that was in there pretty badly. He pulled her out, and I spotted that she was a woman at that time. She kind of staggered over to the side.”
After the carjacking, the suspect led police on a pursue, but because of excessive speed, the pursuit was called off. Nashua police then spotted the vehicle.
“The Nashua Police Department then was able to identify him, and he engaged them in a pursuit southbound on the Everett into the state of Massachusetts,” Noyes said. “Massachusetts State Police picked up the pursuit. At some point, the individual looped back around and traveled northbound back into Fresh Hampshire.”
The pursuit ended in a crash at Exit four North that brought traffic to a standstill. Witnesses said traffic was moving leisurely on the northbound side of the highway until the carjacked vehicle sped through the area.
Tom Griffith Violates down the timeline of events:
“He sideswiped me,” witness Karen Loring said. “All my airbags deployed and everything, and it was crazy. I was wearing my seat belt. It saved my life.”
At least seven vehicles were involved in the crash.
WMUR’s Jennifer Crompton spoke with several of the witnesses and crash victims:
“All of a unexpected, cars are smashing and banging, and he ended up here in front of me, and we go leaping out, and we’re looking for the driver,” witness Becky Lawrence said. “He was lounging face down on the road. He got ejected from the car.”
Noyes said Calvin fought with police as they were attempting to take him into custody.
“There must have been ten or fifteen policeman it took, because he was wild,” witness Steve Roche said. “There was blood all over him, a burst of adrenaline. He was attempting to fight them all.”
Police said Calvin is now in custody at a Boston hospital.
Officials said none of the other people involved in the crash had life-threatening injuries.
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