Lupey
09-06-2001, 21:44
Crash claims life of police dispatcher
By GORDON D. KING
Staff Writer
Law enforcement officials in Central New Hampshire have come together as one to share in their grief over the loss of one of their own.
Tracy A. Beauchemin, 40, of 89 Blueberry Hill Road, Meredith, supervisor of the dispatch center at the Belknap County Sheriff's Department in Laconia, died Tuesday morning of injuries received in an accident on Interstate 93.
State Police Trooper Eric Shirley of Troop D in Concord, said Beauchemin was traveling south on the highway around 7:40 a.m. when the accident occurred in the southbound lane in Tilton about one-half mile north of Exit 20.
The preliminary investigation revealed that when Beauchemin took evasive action to avoid debris in the road, her vehicle left the highway, the investigator said. The Ford Explorer she was operating rolled over upon leaving the road. Beauchemin was thrown from the vehicle.
Belknap County Sheriff Steve Hodges said he and other members of the department were devastated. Beauchemin had worked in the dispatch center for 15 years, 10 of them as supervisor.
"I don't know how we are going to deal with her loss. She was the heart and soul of the dispatch center. She was the dispatch center," the sheriff said.
Hodges said once word spread about her death, police dispatchers from other law enforcement agencies responded to the center on North Main Street and took over the duties so the staff could grieve in privacy.
"We have dispatchers from Tilton, Meredith and even the New Hampshire State Police here," he said.
Hodges called Beauchemin one of the most wonderful people he has known and a truly professional law enforcement official who went out of her way to assist people whenever they needed help.
Beauchemin was a police officer in Franklin and a dispatcher for the Merrimack County Sheriff's Department before joining the Sheriff's Department here.
Wanda Loanes went to Franklin High School with Beauchemin and later worked with her as a dispatcher at the Franklin Police Department and the Belknap County Sheriff's Department.
"We've been friends for a long time. She was a true professional even when we worked together all those years ago," Loanes said.
Beauchemin came from a law enforcement family. Her late father, James "Tink" Nowell Jr. was with the Franklin Police Department for nearly 30 years, 15 of them as chief.
The former Tracy A. Nowell was married to Laconia Firefighter Mark Beauchemin. They have one son, Alec, 5.
Hodges said Beauchemin had just left their son with the baby-sitter and was headed to Concord for a doctor's appointment when the accident occurred.
Trooper Shirley said anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to call Troop D at 271-3636.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by the William F. Smart Sr. Memorial Home in Tilton. A complete obituary appears on page B5 today.
Hodges said his department's entire staff will attend the Friday's funeral for Beauchemin in Franklin. Officers from the Carroll County Sheriff's Department will cover the Belknap department.
Gordon D. King can be reached at 524-3800 ext. 5916 or by e-mail at gking@citizen.com
Gil Emery
Communications Supervisor
Portsmouth New Hampshire Emergency Communications Center
gemery@pd.cityofportsmouth.com
By GORDON D. KING
Staff Writer
Law enforcement officials in Central New Hampshire have come together as one to share in their grief over the loss of one of their own.
Tracy A. Beauchemin, 40, of 89 Blueberry Hill Road, Meredith, supervisor of the dispatch center at the Belknap County Sheriff's Department in Laconia, died Tuesday morning of injuries received in an accident on Interstate 93.
State Police Trooper Eric Shirley of Troop D in Concord, said Beauchemin was traveling south on the highway around 7:40 a.m. when the accident occurred in the southbound lane in Tilton about one-half mile north of Exit 20.
The preliminary investigation revealed that when Beauchemin took evasive action to avoid debris in the road, her vehicle left the highway, the investigator said. The Ford Explorer she was operating rolled over upon leaving the road. Beauchemin was thrown from the vehicle.
Belknap County Sheriff Steve Hodges said he and other members of the department were devastated. Beauchemin had worked in the dispatch center for 15 years, 10 of them as supervisor.
"I don't know how we are going to deal with her loss. She was the heart and soul of the dispatch center. She was the dispatch center," the sheriff said.
Hodges said once word spread about her death, police dispatchers from other law enforcement agencies responded to the center on North Main Street and took over the duties so the staff could grieve in privacy.
"We have dispatchers from Tilton, Meredith and even the New Hampshire State Police here," he said.
Hodges called Beauchemin one of the most wonderful people he has known and a truly professional law enforcement official who went out of her way to assist people whenever they needed help.
Beauchemin was a police officer in Franklin and a dispatcher for the Merrimack County Sheriff's Department before joining the Sheriff's Department here.
Wanda Loanes went to Franklin High School with Beauchemin and later worked with her as a dispatcher at the Franklin Police Department and the Belknap County Sheriff's Department.
"We've been friends for a long time. She was a true professional even when we worked together all those years ago," Loanes said.
Beauchemin came from a law enforcement family. Her late father, James "Tink" Nowell Jr. was with the Franklin Police Department for nearly 30 years, 15 of them as chief.
The former Tracy A. Nowell was married to Laconia Firefighter Mark Beauchemin. They have one son, Alec, 5.
Hodges said Beauchemin had just left their son with the baby-sitter and was headed to Concord for a doctor's appointment when the accident occurred.
Trooper Shirley said anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to call Troop D at 271-3636.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by the William F. Smart Sr. Memorial Home in Tilton. A complete obituary appears on page B5 today.
Hodges said his department's entire staff will attend the Friday's funeral for Beauchemin in Franklin. Officers from the Carroll County Sheriff's Department will cover the Belknap department.
Gordon D. King can be reached at 524-3800 ext. 5916 or by e-mail at gking@citizen.com
Gil Emery
Communications Supervisor
Portsmouth New Hampshire Emergency Communications Center
gemery@pd.cityofportsmouth.com