NORTH HAMPTON, NH : Off-duty Mass. police officer critically injured in North Hampton crash????? on Monday, October, 9th 2017

The Somerville, Massachusetts, police chief spoke Monday evening about one of his officers who was critically injured in a crash in North Hampton Sunday morning."You lose a little bit of your faith when something like this happens, but to see the officers up there, to see the Interstate police, the Massachusetts State Police, his family rallying around him, the human spirit, it really helps you build your confidence," Somerville Police Chief David Fallon said.Officer Louis Remigio, 55, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is in critical condition after suffering serious injuries in a crash on Interstate 95 that involved four vehicles and a motorcycle.

Witnesses said a racing incident led to the crash, and an 18-year-old is facing charges in connection to the crash.

Remigio was off-duty when he was riding his Harley-Davidson on the southbound side of I-95 shortly before 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

Witnesses told New Hampshire State Police that a black Mercedes was racing other vehicles as it headed north on I-95 when it went through a restrictedf crossover area before driving into oncoming traffic on the southbound side and collided with Remigio.

"Somewhere in the area of (mile marker) 8.8, there's a restricted-access crossover, a paved portion that crosses through the grassy median. Mr. (Michael) Ricci decided to take that crossover at what witnesses say was a high rate of speed in order to change direction to go southbound," state police Lt. John Hennessey said.

Remigio was rushed to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where at last check he was listed in critical condition.

Fallon called Remigio "big, tough, kind, empathetic -- everything you look for in a police officer."

"Myself, having known him over 25 years, he's a first-class human being, model officer," said Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone.

Raymond resident Jessica Borkush said she spotted three cars racing up 95 north Sunday and rushed to Remigio’s aid.

“I got out of the car and ran across the highway and I went over to a gentleman that was laying on the ground,” Borkush said. “Someone brought his drivers' license over and had opened it up and saw his badge, police badge, and saw his name was Louis. The only thing I could do was just tell him ‘Louis, stay with us. Stay with us, Louis.”

His neighbors in Tewksbury said they were shocked to hear the news.

“I kind of put it in my head, ‘It's not him,’ and then I found it was (and) my heart sank,” Remigio’s neighbor Brian Costa said. “Awful. Makes me very upset.”

Remigio is a 30-year veteran of the Somerville Police Department who plans to retire in two years. He rides a motorcycle for Somerville's Traffic Division.

Neighbor Bill Fabiano said Remigio recently lost his wife.

"Unfortunately he just recently lost his wife, probably two years ago now, but it seems like yesterday, so I feel very heartbroken for the girls," Fabiano said.

"He was up, I believe, visiting a friend in Maine," Fabiano said. "He decided to stay the night rather than drive at night; he decided it would be safer to drive Sunday morning."

Another car attempted to avoid the crash but ended up rear-ending the Mercedes.

"After the initial contact with Mr. Remigio, a third vehicle, (a) Subaru, collided with the Mercedes as well (and) subsequently rolled over," Hennessey said.

Two people in that vehicle were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

An SUV and a pickup truck were also damaged while driving through the debris.

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Off-duty Mass. police officer critically injured in North Hampton crash?????