Haverhill

Victim, family hope to find hit-and-run driver

By Paul Tennant
ptennant@eagletribune.com
Published: October 27, 2008

HAVERHILL — Bill Glater was on top of the world the morning of Sept. 25.

The retired car salesman had just purchased a silver 2000 Jaguar XK8 convertible earlier that day from Northeast Motors in Hampton, N.H., and was on his way back to his home in South Windsor, Conn.

"He was very excited about it," said his daughter, Amy Mondschein, of Ellington, Conn.

Glater was driving in the far-left lane of Interstate 495, near the Regan Ford dealership, between 10:30 and 11 a.m. Suddenly, as he passed a vehicle in the adjoining lane, his car was pushed and rolled over into the median strip, he said.

Fortunately, Glater, 69, survived the accident. He had the top up and was wearing a seat belt. Those factors "definitely" saved his life, he said.

"I was upside down in the car and they had to cut me out," he said.

Glater was taken to Caritas Holy Family Hospital in Methuen. He was released that day, but he said his back still aches, nearly three weeks after the accident.

"I was very fortunate," he said of his close brush with death.

As for the other car, Trooper Anthony Alestock of the Newbury state police barracks, who investigated the accident, said a witness reported the driver did not stop. The witness had been traveling about 200 yards behind Glater when his car was hit, Alestock said.

The witness, a woman who stopped to help, said the car that hit Glater's was a black sedan, possibly a Dodge Charger, according to Mondschein.

Glater had his eye out for a car such as the one he bought in Hampton for some time. He didn't find one in Connecticut and when he saw the Jaguar on a Web site he made arrangements to buy it.

"I liked the styling and also the safety features," he said.

Glater also was fortunate that his insurance company will cover the accident. He insured the car as soon as he bought it. He is waiting for word on the settlement and then he'll buy another car, he said.

"This was something he could not afford," his daughter said. "I don't think he's going to let this stop him."

Glater and his family hope someone will come forward with information about the hit-and-run driver.

Glater even hopes the driver's conscience will bother him.

"I don't see how the guy could live with himself," he said.

Anyone with any information about what happened on Interstate 495 the morning of Sept. 25 is asked to call Alestock at the Newbury state police barracks at 978-462-7478.

So far, no leads have turned up, Alestock said.