New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte and her executive security detail are being credited with saving a motorist’s life Tuesday after a high-speed collision ignited a vehicle fire at the Bedford Toll Plaza.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:55 a.m. on the F.E. Everett Turnpike when a vehicle, identified as a Lucid Gravity, struck the toll infrastructure and immediately burst into flames. New Hampshire State Police confirmed that the driver, 51-year-old Yevgeny Mirman of Massachusetts, was trapped inside the burning wreckage as the fire intensified.
A veteran State Trooper assigned to the Governor’s security detail was the first to arrive on the scene. According to police reports, the trooper observed the vehicle fully engulfed in flames with the driver still inside.
Working in tandem with bystanders and Governor Ayotte, the trooper managed to pull Mirman through a window of the burning car and move him to safety just moments before the cabin was overwhelmed by fire.
“I want to thank the Trooper on my security detail and the bystanders who stepped up to help at the scene of the crash for their brave lifesaving efforts today,” Governor Ayotte said in a statement. “Joe and I are praying for the full recovery of the driver who was injured.”
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State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall praised the swift actions of those on the scene, noting that the Governor did not hesitate to assist despite the hazardous conditions.
“Certainly, their actions were heroic,” Colonel Hall stated. “Without hesitation, they put themselves in danger to render aid to someone who was in need of it. [The Governor] wasn’t in harm’s way at any point, but she has a great deal of care for our citizens and tried to do what she could.”
Mirman was transported to a regional hospital with serious injuries. While the Bedford, Litchfield, and Merrimack Fire Departments assisted in the rescue and subsequent fire suppression, the cause of the crash remains under active investigation.
Authorities confirmed that no charges have been filed at this time. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation assisted in clearing the scene, which caused significant mid-day delays on the Everett Turnpike.
