I-95 in Hampton, Portsmouth Pursuit Leads to K-9 Hunt in York

HAMPTON, NH — New Hampshire State Police are looking for the operator of a gold Hyundai Elantra that reportedly fled a motor vehicle stop near the Hampton tollbooth on I-95 that led law enforcement on a pursuit through Portsmouth to the York toll plaza, according to police. The incident started at just after midnight, according to Sgt. John Hennessey of Troop A, after a state trooper “observed that the driver was having significant lane control issues, and the he also observed that the Maine registration plate belonged on another vehicle.”

The Hyundai allegedly refused to stop and a pursuit began.

“The pursuit continued north on Interstate 95 where speeds reached over 100 miles per hour,” Hennessey alleged. “As the suspect vehicle approached the area of Exit 7, the trooper was assisted by officers from the Portsmouth Police Department as well as other troopers from the Troop-A barracks. The pursuit continued across state lines into Maine, where the erratic operation and excessive speed continued.”

Maine State Police then showed up to assist New Hampshire state troopers and the pursuit ended about two miles north of the York toll plaza when the Hyundai lost a front tire and stopped.

“The driver of the vehicle, described as a white male wearing jeans and a black hoodie pulled over his head and face, exited the moving vehicle out the passenger side door and ran into the woods,” Hennessey stated. “Troopers secured the scene and set up a perimeter while a K-9 from Wells was called to assist.”

After a lengthy K-9 track, the suspect was not apprehended and he remains at large.

Assisting NH State Police were members of the Portsmouth Police Department, Maine State Police, Troop-G, York Police Department, and the Wells Police Department.

Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is asked to contact Trooper Matt Locke, New Hampshire State Police, Troop-A, at 603-223-8490 or Matthew.Locke@dos.nh.

Credit: Brian Blackden.