A New Hampshire woman is charged with driving a Subaru the wrong way on the Everett to Nashua Turnpike while driving under the influence, resulting in a serious five-vehicle crash injured two people, state police said.
Jennifer Pratka, 29, of Litchfield was pulled from the Subaru she was driving by responding soldiers after she crashed into another vehicle and burst into flames, state police said.
Pratka was charged with aggravated driving under the influence and reckless driving. She is scheduled to appear in Hillsborough Superior Court in July to face those charges, state police said.
At approximately 10:34 p.m. Saturday, troopers responded to a report of a contraflow driver driving northbound in the southbound lanes on the FE Everett Turnpike, state police said.
Shortly after, state police received a report that the oncoming driver had struck another vehicle in the area of exit 7W.
A preliminary investigation found the Subaru Impreza was traveling north on the FE Everett Turnpike in southbound lanes when it collided with a pickup truck in the left lane, state police said. Immediately afterwards, three other vehicles rammed these two vehicles.
The driver and passenger of the van were seriously injured and the occupants of the other vehicle were slightly injured.
Pratka was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua with minor injuries, state police said.
The southbound lanes of the FE Everett Turnpike were closed between exits 7W and 7E for approximately three and a half hours after the crash while investigators and cleanup crews were on the scene.
New Hampshire State Police were assisted at the scene by Nashua Police, Nashua Fire and EMS and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.
Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to contact Private Harkonen at 603-223-8308 or Ryan.R.Harknoen@dos.nh.gov.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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