Suspect Surrenders After Multi-Community Chase, Stand-Off

BEDFORD, NH — An accused armed drug suspect out of Manchester who reportedly fled an incident with police which led to a multi-community chase and a standoff in Bedford is in custody. Bedford Police Chief John Bryfonski issued a statement at 9:15 p.m. tonight, announcing that an evacuation order and stay-in-place shelter alert had been lifted. Earlier this evening on Monday, police were in a standoff with a suspect in the Oak Drive, Glen Road, and Wendover Way area of Bedford, with local residents evacuated from the immediate area.

George Riley, 39, of Oak Drive in Bedford, was arrested and charged with certification as a habitual offender, reckless conduct, and disobeying an officer.

According to Jeffrey Hastings of Frame of Mind Photography and scanner chatter, Manchester police were on Riverfront Drive for a report of drug activity and spoke with a man and a passenger in a blue Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.

A firearm was reported by police and a passenger exited the vehicle while the driver took off.

The suspect was chased by state police along the Everett Turnpike, through Merrimack and Nashua, at speeds of up to 80 mph.

Hastings has more on this InfoNH post on Facebook.

New Hampshire State Police set up spike strips at the overpass near Exit 5 and Exit 4, with Nashua police assisting, attempting to stop the vehicle. The vehicle moved from the high-speed lane to the breakdown lane to avoid the strips, according to scanner chatter.

The suspect then exited onto the Daniel Webster Highway at Exit 3, took the rotary, and began traveling north, through the streets of Nashua. At around Main Street, state police abandoned the chase and followed the vehicle at posted speed limits.

The driver continued north along Main Street, to Concord Street, and into Merrimack. State police pursued the vehicle as it headed north on the Daniel Webster Highway through Merrimack. State police reported that they were only following the vehicle due to the lower speeds on the secondary roads.

Near the state police barracks in Bedford, at the town line with Merrimack, police made another spike strip attempt that failed to stop the vehicle, nearly striking an officer, as it maneuvered across a median and around the strip (watch the video above).

The vehicle continued into Bedford, and eventually made its way to Oak Drive and Glenn Road, becoming stuck in the woods near some power lines. The New Hampshire State Police called in its armored vehicle and a SWAT team. At just after 8 p.m., Bedford police issued a Nixle alert, requesting residents in the area to stay in their homes.

"Riley barricaded himself inside his truck," noted Bryfonski in a press release on Tuesday. "(He) was taken into custody at approximately 8:50 p.m. with the assistance of the Southern New Hampshire Special Operations Unit."

At 9:15 p.m., the shelter alert was lifted due to the man surrendering to police.

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