Motor Vehicle Pursuit Ends with Arrest

Portsmouth, New Hampshire – On April 6, 2023, at approximately 10:06 p.m., Troopers assigned to the New Hampshire State Police Troop A Barracks received information regarding a vehicle that had fled from the Portsmouth Police Department on Islington Street in the City of Portsmouth minutes earlier.

Troopers were provided a description of the suspect vehicle which was later identified as a 2014 Audi Q5 bearing Florida registration plates. Approximately five minutes after receiving this information, Troopers located the suspect vehicle parked at a set of fuel pumps at the Shell Gas Station located at 786 US Route 1 Bypass North in the City of Portsmouth. As Troopers made contact with the operator of the suspect vehicle, the operator started the suspect vehicle and accelerated out of the parking lot, dragging a Trooper for a short distance until the Trooper disengaged. Subsequently, the suspect vehicle fled at a high rate of speed while displaying no exterior lighting, thereafter, entering the Town of Kittery, Maine at which point Troopers lost visual contact with the vehicle. Moments later, the suspect vehicle was briefly spotted by the Kittery, Maine Police Department but visual contact was again lost.

While canvassing the area for the suspect vehicle, Sergeant Gary Wood Jr, of the New Hampshire State Police Troop A Barracks, located the vehicle traveling along Interstate 95 South in the City of Portsmouth minutes after the incident that occurred at the Shell Gas Station. Sergeant Wood Jr attempted to initiate a traffic stop at which time the operator of the suspect vehicle extinguished the exterior lighting of the vehicle and fled at a high rate of speed.  After a brief pursuit, the suspect vehicle came to a stop and additional Troopers arrived on scene to assist.  The lone occupant within the suspect vehicle was taken into custody without further incident.

During the initial investigation, the suspect was determined to be impaired and originally provided a false identity. Following further investigation, the suspect was identified Michael Anthony Arrington, age 28, of Orlando, Florida.

As a result of this incident, Arrington was charged with a number of crimes to include Reckless Conduct – Class B Felony (x2), Second Degree Assault – Class B Felony, Disobeying An Officer – Class A Misdemeanor (x3), Resisting Arrest – Class A Misdemeanor (x2), Aggravated Driving Under the Influence or Liquor – Class A Misdemeanor (x2), Driving Under the Influence of Liquor – Class B Misdemeanor, and Operating After Revocation or Suspension – Class A Misdemeanor. Ultimately, Arrington refused the services of a bail commissioner and was held in custody at the Rockingham County House of Corrections pending an appearance in the Rockingham County Superior Court on April 7, 2023.

The Trooper that was dragged by the suspect vehicle at the onset of this incident sustained minor injuries and was later treated and discharged from a local hospital.

During the course of this incident, Troopers from the New Hampshire State Police Troop A Barracks were assisted by the Portsmouth Police Department, the Kittery, Maine Police Department, and the Seminole County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.

This incident remains under investigation and anyone with information pertaining to this investigation is asked to contact Sergeant Gary Wood Jr. at Gary.J.WoodJr@dos.nh.gov.