KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) A serious two-vehicle crash on Route 101 in Keene Tuesday evening left one driver critically injured and prompted a roughly 2½-hour road closure, according to Keene police.

Police and emergency crews were called to the area near Branch Road at about 5:15 p.m. after receiving reports of a collision.

Investigators said a vehicle traveling west on Route 101 crossed the center line and struck an embankment along the eastbound side of the road. The vehicle then continued into the roadway and collided with an eastbound car.

The driver of the westbound vehicle was critically injured and flown by DHART medical helicopter to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon for treatment. The occupants of the eastbound vehicle were not injured.

Police have not released the identities of those involved or information about the vehicles in the primary crash while authorities work to notify the injured driver’s family.

The crash investigation led to a lengthy closure of Route 101. During the closure, another crash occurred near Graves Road involving five additional vehicles.

According to police, that collision began when a Mazda CX-30 driven by Alice Cross, 27, of Marlborough attempted to enter westbound Route 101 from a driveway. The Mazda entered the path of an oncoming Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck traveling west, driven by Justin Woodworth, 45, of Roxbury.

The two vehicles came to rest after the collision, and three other eastbound vehicles that had been stopped in traffic were subsequently struck.

Woodworth was evaluated at the scene by emergency medical personnel. None of the people involved in the secondary crashes required transportation to a hospital.

Keene Police’s Collision Analysis Team is continuing to investigate the original crash. Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or saw what happened immediately beforehand to contact Detective/Lt. Chidester at 357-9813.

The Keene Police Department was assisted at the scene by the Keene Fire Department, New Hampshire Department of Transportation, New Hampshire State Police, Swanzey Police and the Marlborough Police Department.