Edward Correia Obituary, Death; 1 dead, 1 critically hurt in wrong-way crash on New Hampshire highway

Edward Correia Obituary, Death – Early Friday morning, a devastating wrong-way collision on Route 16 in Milton, New Hampshire, left one man dead and another hospitalized with serious injuries, according to state police.

Authorities reported receiving a call just after 4:30 a.m. about a crash involving two vehicles. When troopers arrived, they discovered a Volkswagen Jetta and a Nissan Kicks in opposite breakdown lanes of the highway, both with extensive damage from a head-on collision. The crash occurred only minutes after dispatchers had been alerted to a vehicle traveling northbound in the southbound lanes in the same area.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the Volkswagen, 77-year-old Edward Correia of Portsmouth, had been heading the wrong way in the southbound lane. As he continued north against the flow of traffic, his vehicle collided with a Nissan driven by 67-year-old Jeremiah Coleman of West Ossipee, who had been traveling southbound.

The section of Route 16 where the crash occurred has no physical barriers separating the lanes, which investigators noted could have contributed to the incident. Authorities are still working to determine what caused Correia to cross over the center lines into the wrong lane.

Correia, who was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Meanwhile, Coleman sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Emergency crews transported him by ambulance to a local hospital, where he is receiving treatment and is expected to survive.

The severity of the crash required law enforcement to temporarily close a stretch of Route 16 between exits 17 and 18. Traffic was diverted for approximately three hours as troopers, emergency medical teams, and cleanup crews worked at the scene. The road was reopened later that morning after the vehicles were cleared and investigators had gathered evidence.

State police emphasized that their investigation remains ongoing. They are examining several factors, including driver impairment, medical issues, and road conditions at the time of the crash, to understand why Correia ended up traveling in the wrong direction. The absence of protective barriers between lanes in that portion of the highway is also being reviewed in the context of safety concerns.

Authorities are urging anyone who may have witnessed the crash or observed Correia’s vehicle prior to the collision to come forward with information. They are particularly interested in accounts from drivers who were traveling on Route 16 near Milton around the time of the incident, as their testimony could help clarify the sequence of events.

New Hampshire State Police asked the public to reach out to Trooper Shane McClure directly at Shane.M.McClure@dos.nh.gov with any relevant details. Their goal is to piece together a clearer picture of what led to the tragic accident, which highlights the ongoing dangers of wrong-way driving on divided highways without barriers.

This fatal crash serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of highway safety and the need for vigilance behind the wheel.