Long bridge preservation project to begin in April

LITTLETON (AP) – A New Hampshire town’s main road will undergo major construction in this summer in an effort to advance traffic flow.

The state Department of Transportation is a month away from a more than four-month phased bridge preservation project in Littleton, the Caledonian Record reported Friday.

Transportation officials met with contractors Thursday to discuss the logistics of the project that will take place on a heavily populated road, near the busy stores and restaurants on Littleton’s Meadows. The bridges sees at least 16,000 vehicles each day, with at least 7% of them being trucks.

The project involves closing the left turn lanes to the interstate in both directions, adding detour signs, switching two-way traffic to the north side of the bridge when the south side is closed for work and vice versa.

Project officials anticipate a Sept. 11 competition date.

Lawsuit alleges police seized cell without warrant

CONCORD (AP) – Police were wrong to seize a man’s cellphone without a warrant after he recorded officers responding to a fight at a Manchester convenience store, the ACLU of New Hampshire said in a federal lawsuit.

The ACLU said Neil Pineda-Landaverde was a bystander filming the interaction between officers and multiple people on Oct. 17, 2019. His wife worked at the store. After seizing the phone, police kept it without getting a warrant for over two weeks, according to the complaint. It was returned in December.

The ACLU sued three officers and the city Monday, alleging that the officers violated Pineda-Landaverde’s Fourth and First Amendment rights.

The Fourth Amendment says the police can only take someone’s property if they have a warrant or consent, unless there is an „exigent,” or urgent, circumstance. Under the First Amendment, a member of the public has a right to record police in a public place when the officers are acting in the course of their official duties and the recording doesn’t interfere with them.

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and unspecified damages.

A police spokeswoman said the department was aware of the lawsuit and referred questions to the city solicitor’s office. A message seeking comment was left Friday.

Teen dies of injuries from crash in Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH (AP) – A 16-year-old driver who was injured in a three-vehicle crash has died, police in New Hampshire said Friday.

Police said the accident happened on Feb. 27 in Portsmouth. One of the vehicles landed in a backyard. All three drivers were taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital. Two were treated and released that day.

Police said the teenager, Kevin Bowden, of Portsmouth, was taken to Boston Children’s hospital, where he died on Thursday.

Police said a full investigation was conducted, and no charges will be filed.

Man sentenced to prison for armed robberies

CONCORD (AP) – A man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after being convicted of committing six armed robberies in New Hampshire.

Court documents said Guillermo Garcia Esquivel, 36, who is from Mexico, robbed six convenience stores in Manchester in January and February of 2019.

Prosecutors said during each robbery, Esquivel pointed what appeared to be a black handgun at cashiers and demanded money. In two of the robberies, he also displayed a knife. Esquivel stole a total of more than $5,000.

Esquivel previously pleaded guilty in November. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay $4,530 in restitution.

Prosecutors said Esquivel does not have lawful status in the United States. After serving his prison sentence, he faces likely removal to Mexico.

Newsletter