HOLLIS, NH — An adult male pedestrian died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a vehicle on Route 111, according to Hollis police. The crash happened around 3:45 p.m., and first responders arrived to find bystanders already giving the man CPR.
Emergency crews tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the preliminary investigation suggests he was trying to cross the road when he was hit by a vehicle traveling toward the Pepperell, Massachusetts, town line.
Authorities have not yet released the man’s name or age, pending notification of next of kin.
Driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators
Hollis Police Chief Brendan LaFlamme said the driver pulled over right away after the collision and stayed to help. Investigators also said the motorist is cooperating with the ongoing inquiry into what happened on the roadway.
The vehicle involved had Massachusetts license plates and suffered heavy front-end damage, including a detached bumper. Police did not say whether speed, visibility, or other factors may have played a role.
Because the investigation is still in its early stages, officials have not announced any charges or cited any contributing cause.
Route 111 shut down for hours while crews worked the scene
Route 111 was closed for several hours after the crash as police processed the scene and gathered evidence. The shutdown affected traffic near the state line, where the road connects Hollis with Pepperell.
New Hampshire Department of Transportation Division 5 crews helped by placing signs to warn drivers about the closure. Pepperell police also assisted with traffic detours near the border while the roadway remained blocked.
Authorities said the coordinated response was needed to manage both the investigation and the backup created by the closure.
Police say the victim was an adult man but identity remains withheld
Officials have confirmed only that the person who died was an adult male. His name has not been made public, and police said the information is being held until relatives are notified.
The scene drew a response from both police and fire personnel after the crash was reported. The presence of bystanders performing CPR when first responders arrived underscores how quickly the collision unfolded and how urgently the man needed help.
Even with those efforts, the injuries proved fatal at the scene.
Investigators want witnesses who saw the collision on Wednesday afternoon
Hollis police say the case is still under investigation and that witness accounts could help clarify the moments leading up to the crash. Anyone who saw the collision or has information about what happened is being asked to contact the department.
The department’s phone number is 603-465-7637. Police have not provided a timeline for when the investigation might be completed.
For now, officials are focusing on reconstructing how the pedestrian and vehicle came together on Route 111 near the Pepperell line.
Crash highlights safety concerns along a busy state-line corridor
Route 111 serves as a key link near the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border, and Wednesday’s fatal crash disrupted traffic in an area where drivers and pedestrians may both be using the roadway. The collision also required help from agencies on both sides of the state line.
Police said the vehicle was heading toward Pepperell when it struck the man, placing the incident in a stretch of road where local traffic and cross-border travel overlap. That made the closure more complicated and forced detours while investigators worked.
Officials have not said whether the pedestrian was in a crosswalk or crossing at another point on the road.
