HAMPTON FALLS, N.H. — Three people were killed and a fourth suffered life-threatening injuries in a crash that went unnoticed for hours in Hampton Falls.

State police believe the crash happened early Sunday morning but it wasn’t reported until 11 a.m., when a passer-by walking along the roadway noticed the car hidden in a stand of trees.

Investigators believe the car was traveling west on Route 88 when it went off the road going around a curve.

As a result of this collision the driver, Jacob Raymond, 21, of Exeter, N.H. was killed along with two of his passengers: Sarah Frost, 18, of Exeter, N.H. and Stephen Hansen, 22, of Seabrook, N.H. A third passenger, Daniel Petruzzelli, 19, of Manchester, N.H. was transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital with life-threatening injuries.