A Massachusetts man has been charged in connection with a March car crash in Dunbarton that killed a staff member from St. Paul’s School, police said.
Stephan Buckley, 55, of Andover, Mass., has been charged with vehicular assault, simple assault, negligent driving, speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign after police say he struck a vehicle at the intersection of Concord State Road and Stark Highway North, known as “Page’s Corner.”
According to a statement from Dunbarton police, Buckley’s Ford F-250 ran a stop sign and crashed into a Toyota RAV4 operated by Mike Whittier of Dunbarton as he was crossing through the intersection.
Whittier, 60, sustained broken ribs and a ruptured spleen in the crash, and he later died on March 19 at Concord Hospital from complications arising from injuries sustained in the crash.
Whittier worked as a groundskeeper at St. Paul’s School for 17 years, where he was well-loved by the students, according to his obituary. He received the Benjamin Rush Toland Memorial in recognition of being a valued member of the staff in 2013, and dressed up as Santa for the students this past Christmas, his obituary says. Whittier is described as a selfless and humble person who loved to make others laugh.
“When asked over the years if he had any kids, Mikey liked to answer that question by saying, ‘Ya, 500 of em’’ …all those kids at St. Pauls’ were Mikeys’ kids. He loved each and every one of them,” the obituary reads.
Services for Whittier were held in March, and he was set to be buried in the cemetery at St. Paul’s School, according to his obituary.
Buckley turned himself in to Dunbarton police after a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to the press release. He was released on personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to appear July 10 for an arraignment in Concord’s district court.
Dunbarton police credited the New Hampshire State Police Collision Reconstruction and Analysis Unit for assisting with the investigation.