News

Man runs over elderly woman outside NH polling location

WINDHAM, N.H. — An 89-year-old woman was hit by a car outside a New Hampshire polling place when the driver accidentally put his car in reverse instead of drive.

The only polling place in Windham was busy throughout the day and that turned out to be a good thing for the victim as there were plenty of people who rushed to help her.

"Right after noon, we heard just like a little car crunch, a small fender bender and then a massive acceleration -- and a car just crashed into some of the cars that were parked over here," witness Carl Smith told Boston 25 News.

Smith and others outside Windham High School rushed into the pouring rain to help.

"I ran over as well as some other people and looked under the car and there was a woman under the car. She had gotten run over," Smith explained.

Scott Priestly watched what led up to the crash.

"He was parked in a handicap – he had already voted – he was backing up, there was a van in the pathway. He hit the van. He must have panicked. He hit the gas, the car spun around and actually ran over a woman," he said.

Windham police say the man told them he thought he put the car in drive after hitting the van, but it was still in reverse. That’s when he hit the 89-year-old woman.

"So I immediately went into the truck, started taking out all of the guys belongings, found the jack and got the car up enough to be off her," Smith explained.

At the time – Smith says the woman was unresponsive.

First responders who were already at the high school were then there within minutes and used hydraulic tools to lift the car farther off the woman.

"They ended up jacking up the car and they took her away in an ambulance and we did find out that all she ended up with was a broken arm which is miraculous," Priestly said.

The driver, a man in his 70s was not charged. Police said they did not find any signs of impairment.