Mass. woman killed in rollover crash on Spaulding Connector near Exit 4

Scene of today's accident near Spaulding Exit 4 in Portsmouth. (NHSP photo)

PORTSMOUTH - A woman was killed in a rollover crash today on the northbound connector to the Spaulding Turnpike, according to state police.

The woman was ejected from her vehicle, which was found overturned when rescue crews and police arrived around 6:30 a.m.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2006 Ford Freestyle was traveling northbound near Exit 4 in the left lane, when for reasons that remain under investigation, the driver lost control, striking the guardrail on the left side of the roadway. As a result, the vehicle rolled over and subsequently crossed both lanes of travel.

After striking the guardrail on the opposite side of the roadway, the vehicle came to a final rest on its roof, according to State Police.

The operator, identified as Marisa Douglass, 49 of Amesbury, Mass., was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of this crash remains under investigation.

The single-vehicle crash temporarily closed the northbound ramp leading to the Spaulding Turnpike in Portsmouth.

The roadway remained closed for approximately four hours while Troopers investigated the crash. Commuter traffic was moderately impacted as vehicles had to be diverted around the crash scene.
Assisting State Police Troop-A at the scene were, Portsmouth Police and Fire Departments, NH Department of Transportation and Lafayette Towing.
Anyone with information pertaining to this crash is asked to contact TFC Timothy Sawyer, NH State Police, Troop-A at (603) 223-8490, or via email at timothy.sawyer@dos.nh.gov.