New details on three-vehicle accident in Portsmouth

Four people with 'life-threatening' issues transported

Posted 8/31/16

PORTSMOUTH — Five people were hurt — four with life-threatening injuries — in a three-vehicle accident at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on West Main Road, just south of …

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New details on three-vehicle accident in Portsmouth

Four people with 'life-threatening' issues transported

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Five people were hurt — four with life-threatening injuries — in a three-vehicle accident at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on West Main Road, just south of King’s Grant.

Portsmouth Deputy Fire Chief Michael O’Brien said five patients were transported to three different hospitals. 

Two adult males with life-threatening injuries were taken to Rhode Island Hospital, one by a Lifestar medical helicopter out of Hartford that had landed at the nearby Kings Grant Fellowship property, he said.

Two teenage males with life-threatening injuries were transported to Hasbro Children’s Hospital. 

Another adult male with less serious injuries was taken to Newport Hospital. In addition, a female bystander was evaluated and treated at the scene.

Portsmouth firefighters extricated three patients from two of the vehicles utilizing “The Jaws of Life” hydraulic tools, the deputy chief said. The first patients were removed within 20 minutes of arrival. 

According to Deputy Police Chief Brian Peters, a preliminary investigation reveals that a 2009 Chevrolet Suburban operated by Billey Dodd, 54, of Portsmouth, was traveling north on West Main Road when it crossed the double yellow lines and collided with two southbound vehicles.

The first vehicle struck was a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado operated by 33-year-old Jonathan Barretto of Portsmouth, according to police.  

After sideswiping this vehicle, Mr. Dodd’s vehicle struck a 2008 Nissan Altima in a head-on collision, police said. The Nissan was being operated by Bryan Babcock, 45, of Middletown and inside were two teenage males, ages 16 and 13. 

Mr. Babcock was life-flighted to Rhode Island Hospital with serious injuries, according to police. Both juveniles from the vehicle were transported by rescue to Hasbro Childrens Hospital, with the 16-year-old suffering from serious injuries as well. Mr. Dodd was transported by rescue to Rhode Island Hospital and Mr. Barretto was taken by rescue to Newport Hospital.

The accident remains under investigation by the Portsmouth Police Department accident reconstruction unit and the detective division, Deputy O’Brien said.

A large section of West Main Road was closed off in both directions, with traffic diverted to Mill Lane and Middle Road. Rescue workers from several different towns assisted.

Fire Capt. Steve Lynch took command of the scene and declared it a “Level 1” mass casualty incident, which called for five mutual-aid ambulances from Bristol, Middletown, Naval Station Newport, Newport and Tiverton. 

One of Portsmouth’s ambulances was at Newport Hospital at the time of the crash, leaving only one local rescue vehicle available. Fire Chief Michael Cranson, who assumed command of the incident upon his arrival, extended his gratitude to all mutual-aid partners and commended all of the firefighter/EMTs “on their heroic efforts under very difficult conditions.”

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Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.