Terrifying images captured the aftermath of a fiery accident that left a beloved New Hampshire father and charity volunteer dead.
Scott Defreitas, 52, tragically lost his life Thursday after crashing his Mercedes into a toll barrier, causing the vehicle to explode in a fireball.
New Hampshire State Police said several witnesses pulled Defreitas from the crash, but life-saving measures could not save him and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Defreitas, a manager at manufacturing company Hypotherm Associates, was previously praised for his extensive charity work, including organizing monthly dinners for a local homeless shelter.
Horrific images captured the aftermath of a fiery accident that left a beloved New Hampshire father and charity volunteer dead.
Authorities said they spent three hours extinguishing the fire and clearing the road, which one witness described as “really scary.”
The horrific accident unfolded around 3:15 pm Thursday in Bedford, New Hampshire, after Defreitas collided with a tollbooth on the Everett Turnpike.
It is unclear what caused the accident, and footage appears to show that no other vehicles were involved in the incident.
In a video filmed by a witness, Defreitas’ Mercedes SL 500 is seen engulfed in flames, which according to authorities took three hours to extinguish.
A heavy police presence was on the scene as officials worked to process the incident and clear the road of debris, with later images showing the burned shell of the vehicle in the road.
Witness Robert Webster said WMUR that the tragic incident was “a surprise.”
“It was really scary,” he said. “The man was still on the ground when we passed and the firefighters were trying to put out the fire.”
Police say the crash remains under investigation and are asking witnesses for information.
Scott Defreitas, 52, was tragically killed in the crash after his Mercedes hit a toll barrier and exploded into flames.
Defreitas was praised for his extensive charity work, which included hosting monthly dinners for a local homeless shelter. He appears here with his two children.
According to online records, Defreitas worked as a buyer and category manager for manufacturing company Hypotherm Associates, and was praised in the company’s “social responsibility” promotion for his charitable work.
She hosted monthly dinners for the Haven Hixon House homeless shelter, noting in the promo that “nothing has had a greater impact on making me stronger than helping people.”
Authorities sounded the alarm after the accident about the dangers posed by toll booths, citing Thursday’s accident as the sixth at toll booths in the state in the past three months.
Last month, a Massachusetts man died after crashing into Hampton Toll Plaza over Memorial Day weekend, and just days before, another man was injured at the same location, Hoodline reports.
Richard Arcand, an official with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, said the incidents are a worrying trend, particularly because none are believed to have been a “snow event” or caused by weather.
“The roads are clear and dry and this is due to speed or distracted driving or sometimes distracted or drunk driving, and it’s very concerning,” he said.
