Merrimack Felon Accused Of Stealing BMW; Pursued By Troopers On I-93

MANCHESTER, NH — A felon from Merrimack, with active drug charges and a slew of priors, was arrested on Saturday after a chase with New Hampshire State Police through numerous towns.

Around 5:30 p.m., troopers received a report about a BOLO (be-on-the-lookout) call by the Bethlehem Police Department concerning a stolen 2018 BMW 328 wagon with a Vermont registration from an Irving gas station in that community. BMW Assist obtained a location on the vehicle and gave it to state police. Troopers from Troop D in Concord were able to find the vehicle speeding south on Interstate 93 near Exit 18 in Canterbury.

“The vehicle failed to pull over as a trooper attempted to initiate a stop,” Amber Lagace, a public information officer for the department, said. “The vehicle accelerated and weaved around other vehicles to elude the pursuing trooper.”

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Due to the reckless operation and increasing traffic in the immediate area, the pursuit ended “with the consideration to public safety,” she said.

A state police helicopter, however, was flying in the Concord area and was able to continue to follow the BMW from the air.

“The vehicle continued to drive in a reckless manner at a high rate of speed, passing between other vehicles despite no longer being actively pursued by law enforcement,” Lagace said.

Troop B troopers deployed a tire deflation device in the area of Exit 5 on Interstate 293, which deflated some of the tires, but the vehicle continued driving, she said.

The BMW was stopped with the assistance of the Manchester Police Department in the area of Elm and Valley streets.

Justin Dutton, 40, of Merrimack, was then arrested and charged with receiving stolen property, reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, reckless operation, disobeying a police officer, and operating after suspension-subsequent offense charges. He also had active bench warrants.

Dutton is a felon due to two burglary convictions out of Nashua from April 2000. He was convicted of two burglaries and theft convictions out of Nashua in November 2001.

In 2009, Dutton pleaded guilty to two felony drug possession after an incident in Nashua in May 2009, pleaded guilty to felony theft by unauthorized taking after an incident in Hudson in August 2009, and pleaded guilty to two felony theft by unauthorized taking after an incident in Nashua in August 2009. Later, he was convicted of a violation of probation or parole.

One of the warrants was out of Hillsborough County Superior Court South for failing to appear at the plea and sentencing hearing on two possession-sale of narcotic drug charges out of Merrimack from May 2021.

If anyone has information regarding this incident, please contact Trooper Kyle Cotnoir at 603-227-0089 or Kyle.H.Cotnoir@dos.nh.gov.

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