A Quiet Walk, a Shattered Evening: Somersworth Mourns a Man and His Beloved Dog

There are moments that puncture the fabric of everyday life, leaving a gaping wound where routine once was. For the town of Somersworth, New Hampshire, one such moment arrived late Monday evening, painting an ordinary street with an indelible stroke of sorrow. It was just after 9:30 p.m., the kind of time when many are winding down, perhaps taking a final walk with a cherished pet, when tragedy struck with chilling swiftness.

Mark Lessard, a 60-year-old resident of Somersworth, was doing just that—walking his faithful companion, Dexter. It’s a familiar sight, isn’t it? Man and dog, a silent understanding, a shared journey down familiar paths. But on Route 108, near the intersection with Indigo Hill Road, their journey ended with an unimaginable suddenness. Both Lessard and his loyal Dexter were struck by a vehicle, a 2018 Toyota RAV4, driven by Robert Jellerson, 80, of Rochester. The impact, so devastating, left no chance for survival; both man and dog were pronounced dead at the scene. And just like that, a community’s heart collectively broke.

The aftermath, you could say, is a blur of flashing lights and solemn investigation. Somersworth Police, joined by the New Hampshire State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit, immediately launched into the painstaking work of piecing together what happened. Was it a lapse? A tragic miscalculation? These are the questions that hang heavy in the air, though, for now, no charges have been filed. The inquiry, honestly, is complex, seeking clarity in the chaos of a split second, trying to understand how a routine evening could spiral into such profound loss. The driver, Jellerson, reportedly remained unharmed physically, but one can only imagine the burden of such an event.

The quiet companionship of a man and his dog is a simple, beautiful thing—a bond understood by anyone who’s ever had a pet. It’s a small, everyday joy. Yet, this incident in Somersworth serves as a stark, heart-wrenching reminder of just how fragile life truly is, and how quickly the ordinary can turn into the utterly extraordinary, in the very worst sense. The town, undoubtedly, grieves for Mark Lessard and for Dexter, a duo whose evening walk became a forever goodbye, leaving behind an ache that words can hardly soothe.