By Kevin Shalvey
Staff Writer
Town Manager Keith Hickey
was injured in a motorcycle accident
on Saturday, Oct. 21.
At 1:52 p.m., Hickey was driving
his motorcycle northbound
on Second Street in Manchester,
when he collided with a van
coming off Interstate 293, Exit 4,
police said.
The van was driven by Lauren
Stocki of Derry. Manchester
police said Stocki allegedly
didn’t see Hickey. According to
police, he apparently slid on his
motorcycle when the accident
occurred and hit his head.
“As far as I know, there are no
charges pending,” Manchester
police Lt. Rick Charbonneau
said.
Hickey is being treated at
Elliot Hospital and is listed in
good condition.
The town council is currently
reviewing candidate applications
for a town manager to replace
Hickey, who is scheduled to
leave Bedford on Nov. 17 to serve
as Merrimack’s town manager.
“Keith needs to get healthy.
The last thing he needs to do
is worry about coming back to
work until he is 100 percent
better,” said town council Vice
Chairman Michael Scanlon.
Scanlon said 37 applications
for the job have been received
and the council has narrowed it
down to four candidates.
Councilor Norm Longval
said Hickey is recovering.
“He’s doing fine, he’s recovering
pretty well. I went to see
him on Sunday. His face was
swollen and he was a little disoriented.
But, I was there again on
Monday, less than 24 hours later,
and he was doing much better,”
Longval said.
On Monday, Oct. 23, Hickey
was sitting up and was less disoriented,
Longval said.
Hickey was able to introduce
Longval to someone else in the
room, Longval said.
Longval said he couldn’t
comment on the full extent of
Hickey’s injuries, but he did hear
that Hickey hit the van head
first and might have fractured
his neck or back. It was unclear
whether Hickey was wearing a
helmet at the time of the crash,
Longval said.