Crossing Guard Struck By Car Out of Hospital and Recovering

Art Ducharme, the crossing guard seen out on Baboosic Lake Road directing traffic in front of James Mastricola Upper Elementary School every morning is home from the hospital, recovering from injuries sustained when he was struck by a car early Monday morning.

Merrimack Police Capt. Peter Albert said Ducharme sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the accident, and he will be out on leave at least until the beginning of next week.

Ducharme was directing traffic on Monday morning when he was struck by a 2012 Honda Odyssey van operated by William Tricoli II, 27, of 16 Forest Drive, Merrimack.

"One of the contributing factors, school drop-off traffic had backed up off of School Street and into the eastbound on Baboosic Lake Road where it was stopped," Albert said.

Preliminary investigations show cars were attempting to go around the stopped traffic in the road when Ducharme was hit, Albert said.

A Nixle alert sent out Monday afternoon alerted residents to a new plan that will be put in place as of Tuesday morning to prevent this traffic back-up and the possibility of similar accidents occurring in the future. 

"Student drop-off traffic for James Mastricola Upper Elementary school will NOT be allowed to stop, stand or park along Baboosic Lake Road at School Street or within the school zone. Merrimack Police will be moving 
traffic along," the Nixle alert says.

As of Tuesday morning, Albert said there will be police directing traffic and if it starts to back up off of school street, motorists will be moved through the area.

Albert said police and the school are working together to devise a better traffic pattern for school drop-off and pick-up times. 

"As of this morning sitting down and seeing if there’s a better way we can direct traffic through the drop-off area," Albert said. 

One thing that will help the issue is for parents not to arrive before 8:10 a.m. People cannot let their kids out of the car before 8:10 a.m., Albert said, so getting there early is part of the problem. It forms a queue of cars before traffic can even start moving off of School Street.

Albert said this morning's accident happened right around 8 a.m. Baboosic Lake Road at School Street was closed for about a half hour while the accident was investigated. 

While Ducharme is recovering, the position will be staffed either by a patrol officer or Animal Control Officer Liz Fraser, Albert said. 

New Hampshire State Police are leading the investigation into the accident, but Albert said he doesn't believe there will be any charges involved.

Anyone who would like to send their well wishes to Ducharme is welcome to do so by mailing to or dropping them off at the Police Department, 31 Baboosic Lake Road.