MERRIMACK, NH – Yes, we’ve all been stuck in a traffic jam due to an accident. And yes, we’ve all seen those people who impatiently use the breakdown lane to get past the jam and on their way.
People like Victor Rodrigues Ortiz, 32, of Manchester, who allegedly attempted to do so on Monday, which turned out to be a bad idea – especially because he was driving on a suspended license – and a State Trooper caught up with him.
On Monday, April 13, 2015, at approximately 3 p.m., the New Hampshire State Police responded to the F.E. Everett Turnpike northbound in Merrimack, about two miles north of Exit 11, for a report of a single motor vehicle crash with no injury.
A light-duty dump truck struck the median-side guardrail resulting in the left lane of the highway being shut down for approximately a half an hour until the truck could be towed. The operator of the truck was identified as: Dana Bilodeau, 19, of Deerfield.
Trooper Anthony Marciano of the State Police Troop B in Bedford handled the collision investigation. Based on Trooper Marciano’s investigation, neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected in this collision. However, Bilodeau was subsequently issued a citation for a Highway Markings violation. Approximately 50 feet of median guardrail was destroyed as a result of this collision.
Trooper Christopher Cummings of the State Police Troop B in Bedford responded to assist Trooper Marciano with the collision and the heavy traffic that had built up as a result of the collision. Trooper Cummings along with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Service Patrol were both assisting another motorist whose vehicle had overheated after having sat in the traffic caused by the collision. It was at this time that Trooper Cummings observed a vehicle traveling up the right breakdown lane passing all of the traffic that had built up on the roadway as a result of the collision.
Trooper Cummings subsequently stopped the operator of the vehicle traveling up the right breakdown lane and identified as Victor Rodrigues Ortiz.
Trooper Cummings learned that Rodrigues Ortiz had no emergency to justify his breakdown lane use; furthermore, his vehicle registration plates were under suspension. Trooper Cummings subsequently placed Rodrigues Ortiz under arrest for the misdemeanor offense of Driving After Suspension of Registrations and charged him for the violation level offense of Driving on Divided Ways.
Rodrigues Ortiz was then transported to the State Police Troop-B Barracks in Bedford where he was bailed on $1,000 personal recognizance. He is currently due back in Merrimack Circuit Court on May 21, 2015 to answer the charges.
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