Police: Wrong-way driver in critical condition after head-on crash closes I-89 in Lebanon on Tuesday

Lebanon firefighters and EMTs provide medical care and work to extricate the driver of a car in a head-on crash between exits 17 and 18 on Interstate 89 northbound in Lebanon, N.H., on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. The driver was traveling south in the northbound lanes of the highway shortly before 1:30 p.m. when it struck an SUV, which was then hit by a third vehicle. The drivers of all three vehicles were transported to a nearby hospital and two dogs riding in the third vehicle were taken to Small Animal Veterinary Emergency and Specialty (SAVES). (Valley News - James M. Patterson)

Lebanon firefighters and EMTs provide medical care and work to extricate the driver of a car in a head-on crash between exits 17 and 18 on Interstate 89 northbound in Lebanon, N.H., on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. The driver was traveling south in the northbound lanes of the highway shortly before 1:30 p.m. when it struck an SUV, which was then hit by a third vehicle. The drivers of all three vehicles were transported to a nearby hospital and two dogs riding in the third vehicle were taken to Small Animal Veterinary Emergency and Specialty (SAVES). (Valley News - James M. Patterson) James M. Patterson

Ashley Clay, of Lempster, right, looks into the car of a wrong-way driver that was part of a head-on crash on Interstate 89 in Lebanon, N.H., on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Clay and Rebekah Chadwick, of Newport, witnessed the crash as they were headed south on the higheay, and stopped to provide aid to the drivers of the three vehicles involved. (Valley News - James M. Patterson)

Ashley Clay, of Lempster, right, looks into the car of a wrong-way driver that was part of a head-on crash on Interstate 89 in Lebanon, N.H., on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Clay and Rebekah Chadwick, of Newport, witnessed the crash as they were headed south on the higheay, and stopped to provide aid to the drivers of the three vehicles involved. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) James M. Patterson

Firefighters tend to the occupant of a car involved in a crash on Interstate 89 in Lebanon, N.H., on May 27, 2025. (Valley News - James M. Patterson)

Firefighters tend to the occupant of a car involved in a crash on Interstate 89 in Lebanon, N.H., on May 27, 2025. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Valley News — James M. Patterson

Staff Report

Published: 05-27-2025 2:44 PM

Modified: 05-28-2025 12:18 PM

LEBANON — A 90-year-old Enfield woman is in critical condition after driving the wrong way on Interstate 89 in Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon.

Kathleen Ford was driving a Buick Lucerne southbound in the northbound lanes on I-89 at Exit 18 in Lebanon on Tuesday at about 1:30 p.m. when she struck a VW Atlas SUV, driven by Jennifer Pivovar, 67, of Randolph Center, according to a Tuesday evening news release from New Hampshire State Police.

Following the initial head-on collision, the VW Atlas SUV struck a Hyundai Sonata driven by Erin O’Connor, 24, of Warner, N.H.

First responders transported Ford to a hospital in critical condition, and two other drivers were transported to a hospital to be evaluated.

One of the vehicles that crashed was carrying two dogs, which were transported to Small Animal Veterinary Emergency & Specialty in Lebanon for evaluation.

The portion of I-89 Northbound between Exit 17, for Route 4 to Enfield or Canaan or downtown Lebanon, and Exit 18, for Route 120 to downtown Lebanon or Hanover and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, was closed for about an hour as emergency personnel responded to the crash.

Members of the Lebanon Fire Department, the Lebanon Police Department and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation assisted State Police troopers on the scene.

No charges had been filed at the time of the Tuesday evening release.

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The crash is under investigation. Those with footage of the crash or other relevant information are asked to contact Trooper Peter Kosakowski at 603-223-3831 or Peter.C.Kosakowski@dos.nh.gov.