Cops: Man Used VW to Try and Ram Police Cruiser

A local man was arrested last month after allegedly attempting to ram a Bow Police officer’s cruiser while fleeing a traffic stop last month.

Christopher Cote, 33, of Brown Hill Road in Bow, was arrested on Oct. 4, 2015, and charged with driving after revocation or suspension, disobeying an officer, felony reckless conduct, felony possession of a controlled/narcotic drug, possession of drugs in a motor vehicle, reckless operation, and unregistered vehicle violation.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Bow Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a New Hampshire Patch police report.

According to a court affidavit, a Bow Police officer was patrolling Route 3A when he came across a VW traveling north on the highway displaying an expired inspection sticker and no front plate. The officer also reportedly saw a faded 20-day temporary plate.

The officer pulled behind the vehicle at the intersection of Route 3A, Hall Street, and I-89, which had a red light.

“When the light turned green, the vehicle suddenly turned right cutting in front of another vehicle,” the officer alleged.

The officer initiated the cruiser’s emergency lights and siren signaling that the vehicle needed to pull over. The vehicle continued forward, according to the report, and about 500 feet down the road, turned into the Grappone Honda location, continued to the exit, and then stopped.

The officer called dispatch to run a check on the vehicle and then exited the cruiser to speak with the driver. As that happened, the vehicle reportedly pulled back onto Route 3A, the officer alleged. The officer got back in the cruiser and pulled behind the Volkswagen.

“I pulled behind the VW (but) it was blocked by traffic,” the officer reported. “It pulled right onto the grass (and) I pulled up next to the driver’s side window. The VW lurched forward and tried to ram my cruiser. I was forced to turn to avoid a collision.”

The VW pulled a U-turn and headed south while the officer followed. The VW then turned onto Hall Street, passed a vehicle, and then reportedly made another U-turn back to the intersection, with the officer following. The VW then drove south on Route 3A and into the Grappone Toyota dealership.

“The VW again turned toward my cruiser in an attempt to ram me,” the officer alleged. “It then turned right and went behind the building.”

The Volkswagen then headed back out onto Route 3A and the officer lost sight of the vehicle for a short time but caught up to it at Carriage Road where both vehicles stopped.

“I ordered the driver out of the car,” the officer alleged. “He looked at me and pulled forward toward a barn and then attempted to turn the car around toward where I was standing.”

The officer pulled out his handgun and pointed it at the driver, ordering him out of the car. The driver, later identified as Cote, allegedly stopped the vehicle and raised his hands. He was later cuffed and taken into custody as a New Hampshire State Trooper arrived at the scene to assist.

Cote allegedly had a capped needle and seven and half Alprazolam pills in his pockets but reportedly denied the drugs were his saying he was wearing another person’s pants, according to the report. Pills were also allegedly found on the floor of the vehicle, according to the report.

Cote, who was out on probation, was given a 72-hour hold, refused bail, and was taken to the Merrimack County House of Corrections.