Parolee Arrested While Fleeing from Queen City Cops: Report

MANCHESTER, NH — A Concord man was arrested and held after a traffic stop in Manchester during the weekend, according to police. Jonathan Petrocelli, 41, of Washington Street in Penacook, was arrested on Oct. 15, 2016, for resisting arrest or detention.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Manchester Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

According to police, at around 3:15 a.m. on Saturday, a sergeant noted that a U-Haul van was “repeatedly driving around in the area of Union Street and Orange” Street and “had committed several violations” during the process of circling the area. The sergeant attempted to stop the vehicle on Beech Street and when they did, the driver and front passenger reportedly fled the area in separate directions.

“(The sergeant) chased one of the subjects a short distance and while doing so, the suspect dropped a firearm onto the ground,” according to Sgt. Michael Biron of the Manchester Police Department. “(The sergeant) lost sight of the suspect and immediately returned to the U-Haul van.”

Other officers also arrived reportedly found a third subject “frantically trying to exit the rear of the cargo van.” That suspect also allegedly refused the officer’s orders, eventually jumping out of the back of the van, and attempting to run away, according to Biron.

“After a brief chase and struggle, the suspect was taken into custody,” Biron noted. “The firearm was located and determined to be reported stolen.”

Petrocelli was arrested and held for probation/parole. He was arraigned this morning.

According to online reports, Petrocelli is no stranger to the police. In February 2012, Petrocelli was living in Gilford, and was arrested in Bedford on driving after revocation and other charges. He was also arrested for willful concealment in Bedford. The next month, he was arrested in Concord for allegedly stealing mittens and a jacket from a store on Loudon Road in January of that year. In September 2013, he was arrested for endangering the welfare of a child/incompetent, and arrested again in November on the same charge, after being on the run for nearly two months, attempting to avoid police. In November 2015, he was arrested by state police in Bedford for possession of heroin and a parole violation.