Crash Involving Commercial Motor Vehicle in Hopkinton

Hopkinton, New Hampshire – On February 14, 2023, at approximately 10:45 PM, Troopers from New Hampshire State Police Troop G - Motor Carrier Enforcement Unit were requested to assist members of the Hopkinton Police Department with a reported commercial motor vehicle related crash on Route 127 in the area of Contoocook River Reservoir. Responding personnel observed a tractor-trailer unit, owned and operated by Western Express, Inc of Nashville, Tennessee, had struck a guardrail. The crash resulted in a portion of the guardrail becoming entangled in components of the trailer, causing significant damage to both a portion of the guardrail and the trailer. Troopers learned that the same operator and vehicle had struck another tractor-trailer earlier in the evening which resulted in substantial damage to the other vehicle.

The operator of the vehicle Mark Semple, Age: 63, Kittery, ME.

was uninjured in both crashes. The operator and vehicle were placed out-of-service. An out-of-service order is given to a commercial driver or vehicle that violates a certain set of conditions with the purpose to protect the public from imminent safety hazards. The operator was temporarily prohibited from driving and the tractor-trailer was towed from the scene.  New Hampshire State Police - Troop G were assisted by members of Troop D, the Hopkinton Police Department and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.

Driver inattention and fatigue are believed to be factors in the crash. State Police is requesting that anyone who may have information, or witnessed the crash, contact the Hopkinton Police Department.

The Troop G – Motor Carrier Unit is comprised of the most highly trained and experienced commercial motor vehicle examiners in the state of New Hampshire who are certified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.  Their primary mission is to ensure the safety of the motoring public by focusing their enforcement efforts on Commercial Motor Vehicles.  Their work supports the education and adherence of Motor Carriers to the federal regulations that support commerce and keep our roadways safe for all.