By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org
The Portsmouth Gas Light Co.’s liquor license was suspended for allegedly serving the driver in a fatal early morning crash Thanksgiving Day, but it was regranted in Rockingham County Superior Court, according to E.J. Powers, spokesman for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission.
“An immediate suspension (Dec. 10) was issued to the Gaslight by the NHLC Division of Enforcement and Licensing. The license was regranted by Rockingham Superior Court. A suspension hearing was scheduled for December 23, but was continued at the request of the licensee,” Powers said in an email.
Powers didn’t say how long the suspension was in effect when it was regranted. But he did say the establishment can continue to serve alcohol in the meantime.
Chief Mark Armaganian, director of the Liquor Commission’s division of enforcement and licensing, referred InDepthNH.org to Powers, who does public relations for the commission.
According to a NHLC document, the pizza pub and nightclub allowed “Tyler Troy, DOB: 07/15/2000, who was visibly intoxicated, to consume an alcoholic beverage, which resulted in a fatal motor vehicle crash. Nov. 24 at 12:31 a.m.”
A woman who identified herself Tuesday as the manager at the Gas Light referred questions to their lawyer, Jonathan Flagg, who didn’t immediate return a phone message Tuesday night.
According to a State Police news release Nov. 24, at 1:17 a.m. that morning troopers responded to a rollover crash involving a single vehicle at the junction of Route 1 Bypass South and the Portsmouth Traffic Circle in Portsmouth.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2018 Porsche Macan, operated by Tyler N. Troy, 22, of Northwood, was traveling on the Route 1 Bypass South approaching the traffic circle when the Porsche departed the left side of the road onto a curbed divider, entered the travel portion of the Portsmouth Traffic Circle, and traveled into the grass median in the center of the traffic circle, causing the Porsche to overturn several times.
In addition to Troy, five other occupants were in the Porsche at the time and several were ejected.
Approximately five hours after the crash, passenger Drew Ceppetelli, 21, of Barrington died at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, according to state police.
The state police press release said based on the preliminary investigation at the scene, excessive speed and impairment were identified as potential factors in this crash but all aspects of the crash remained under investigation and there was no mention of criminal charges.