A late-night car accident claimed the life of a New Hampshire driver. The incident also inflicted fatal passenger injuries. Police are saying that the accident could have been caused by speed.

A 27-year-old woman was behind the wheel of a 2005 Chrysler Sebring at 1:30 a.m. The vehicle belonged to her 27-year-old male friend, who was riding as a passenger along with his 30-year-old brother. The trio of motorists was traveling on Interstate 495 just outside of state lines in Merrimac, Massachusetts.

Law enforcement believed that the car suddenly veered off the road where it rolled over and struck a tree. The 27-year-old male passenger suffered fatal injuries and first responders pronounced him dead at the scene of the accident. Emergency workers worked to preserve the life of the driver, but she died at a nearby medical facility. The additional passenger also suffered injuries, but they did not appear to be life threatening. Family for that passenger confirmed he had broken both of his legs in the crash. He is still in the hospital.

The accident cut short lives of individuals about to embark on new chapters in their lives. The passenger victim had just recently retired from serving in the Army, where he was based in Fort Drum, N.Y. and served in Iraq for 27 months. His family said he was excited about returning to his hometown of Plaistow, New Hampshire, where he was set to live with his parents. The victim leaves behind a wife, who is currently serving as a member of the National Guard.

Source: The Union Leader, "Bay state crash claims two from NH," Jason Schreiber, Dec. 17, 2011