Man Charged After Crashing Stolen Car

A Nashua man was arrested last Friday morning after fleeing a officer in a stolen car, crashing twice in Nashua and attempting to elude police on foot.

Seth Stephens, 22, of 108 Pine St., Nashua, faces numerous charges in Nashua and Merrimack related to the incident.

According to police, Officer William Gudzinowicz attempted to stop Stephens' car around 6 a.m. on Dec. 16 for driving without headlights on. Stephens did not stop when signaled to do so near D.W. Drive and continued south on Daniel Webster Highway, police say.

Gudzinowicz then checked the car's registration and learned it was a 2001 Nissan Sentra reported stolen from Nashua, police say.

As Stephens fled police at a high rate of speed, he struck a fence near Greeley Street and continued south, heading into Nashua on Concord Street before striking a granite curb on Hall Avenue where the vehicle became disabled, police say.

Stephens reportedly fled from the vehicle, attempting to further elude police, who caught up to Stephens after a chasing him on foot. Police say when Stephens was arrested, he was found to be in possession of several items stolen from vehicles in the south end of Merrimack on Drouin Way, Ingham Road and Sunset Drive.

Nashua Police charged Stephens with operating under the influence of liquor, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and several other motor vehicle offenses. He was arraigned in Nashua's district court on Dec. 16. He is being held at the Hillsborough County House of Corrections in Manchester where, on Thursday, Dec. 22, Merrimack Police picked him up and brought him to the station to book him for reckless operation, conduct after and accident, operating under suspension and disobeying a police officer.

He was arraigned Thursday in Merrimack's district court and ordered held on $2,000 cash only bail, which he could not post, according to police. He has been given a trial date of Jan. 24.

A Google search of Stephens shows a prior history of felony-related thefts in Nashua. According to press releases online from the Nashua Police Department Stephens was arrested Aug. 29, 2008, for his part in a fake armed robbery of a 7-Eleven in Nashua he was charged with false report to law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor, criminal liability for the conduct of another and theft by unauthorized taking, a class A felony.

In 2009, he was again arrested for theft by unauthorized taking, this time a class B felony, for allegedly working with another person to steal items from a Home Depot where he was employed as a cashier at the time. He allegedly helped a shopper steal more than $700 worth of merchandise from the store a week earlier. He was also charged with criminal liability to the conduct of another in the incident.