By Tiffany Williams –
PLAINFIELD, N.H. — Three people were injured, one of them critically, after a high-speed crash that left a pickup truck engulfed in flames and resulted in the arrest of an 18-year-old driver on felony charges.
The crash happened at approximately 8:03 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, on Route 12A at the intersection of Beauty Hill Road in Plainfield.
Members of the Plainfield Police Department requested assistance from New Hampshire State Police following the crash. Troopers assigned to the Troop C and Troop D barracks responded along with the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit.
The preliminary investigation determined that Michael Martin III, 18, of Claremont, was driving a red 2025 Toyota Tacoma southbound at a high rate of speed when he crashed into a tan 2013 Chevrolet Silverado in the area of Beauty Hill Road.
The impact caused significant damage.
Then the Silverado caught fire.
The Silverado was being driven by Clayton Ezequelle, 53, of White River Junction, Vermont.
Ezequelle suffered life-threatening injuries.
Martin and his passenger were also seriously injured.
All three were transported to a regional hospital for treatment.
Martin was later arrested and charged with felony aggravated driving while intoxicated, felony reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and other violation-level offenses.
He was scheduled to be arraigned in Claremont District Court on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
State Police were assisted at the scene by members of the Plainfield police and fire departments, Lebanon police and fire departments, Cornish Fire Department and Windsor, Vermont, Fire/EMS.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Anthony LaPlaca at Anthony.J.LaPlaca@dos.nh.gov.