Man Arrested After Fleeing Scene of Hit-and-Run

A Penacook man is facing numerous charges thanks to the help of residents on Abbott Road who were able to follow the man after the accident and detain him until police arrived.

Stephen F. Zankowski, 22, of Penacook, was arrested on Sept. 28, and charged with driving while intoxicated, subsequent, conduct after an accident, and operating with a suspended license.

According to witnesses at the scene, Zankowski’s vehicle allegedly hit one parked vehicle on Abbott Road at around 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 28. The crash caused one vehicle, a parked Honda CRV, to push into another vehicle, and moved both cars about four feet.

Zankowski allegedly fled the scene after the accident, leaving behind debris, including a license plate of his vehicle.

After hearing the crash, neighbors began to follow Zankowski’s vehicle. Since the airbags had deployed on the vehicle, he wasn't able to speed away from the scene. Zankowski was later detained near the intersection of Mountain Road and the Sewalls Falls Road Bridge.

There were no injuries due to the accident, according to witnesses. A number of residents have complained about high speeds on the street which is posted at 25 mph. 

Zankowski was released on $6,000 personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned in Concord District Court on Oct. 7, according to police.

Zankowski has a history of alcohol arrests and convictions, according to a search of previous arrest reports. 

In June 2010, in Laconia District Court, Zankowski pled guilty to unlawful possession of alcohol and intoxication while at The Lodge in Belmont in February 2010, according to the fosters.com. He was fined $372. 

In April 2010, Zankowski, who was living in Bow at the time, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, according to the Concord Monitor. 

In March 2011, he was arrested again by the Bow Police and charged with false reports of a traffic accident, according to the police department’s archived arrest listings.