A woman was allegedly driving impaired Saturday morning when she slammed her vehicle into the back of a New Hampshire State Police cruiser on the F.E. Everett Turnpike.
Erica Murphy, 39, of Manchester, was charged with driving under the influence following the incident that occurred shortly after 7:30 a.m. near mile marker 11.2 in Merrimack.
According to state police, a trooper was sitting inside his cruiser, which was positioned in the right breakdown lane on the northbound side of the highway, when Murphy proceeded to drive her Ford Edge into the breakdown lane and strike the rear of the trooper's cruiser.
The trooper and Murphy both suffered injuries in the collision. They were taken to Elliot Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
Col. Nathan Noyes released a statement, highlighting the dangers that troopers face everyday and asking motorists to help keep Granite State roadways safe.
"Troopers from your New Hampshire State Police continue to put their lives on the line, every day, to make certain New Hampshire remains the safest state in our nation," Noyes said. "The dangers they face are real and often times unforgiving."
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"As our men and women continue to ensure everyone's safety on our roadways, we ask those traveling to remain vigilant and avoid distractions, fatigue, and impairment while behind the wheel," he added. "It takes all of us to keep our communities safe."
Murphy is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Hillsborough County Superior Court. It was not immediately clear if she had obtained an attorney.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed it is urged to contact Sgt. Christopher Martineau by calling 603-223-8626 or by emailing Christopher.J.Martineau@dos.nh.gov.
