CONCORD, NH — Friday the 13th was not a lucky day for a Massachusetts man, now in custody, after he allegedly stole two different vehicles during the course of multi-jurisdictional police chase that started in Manchester and ended in Lawrence, Mass.
At approximately 7:50 a.m. on Jan. 13, the Manchester Police Department attempted to stop a reported stolen vehicle on Elm Street driven by a man later identified as Joseph M. Hart, 35, of Westborough, Mass.,
Hart refused to stop and led Manchester Police onto Interstate 93 southbound towards Londonderry. Manchester Officers passed the pursuit onto NH State Troopers who were able to locate the stolen 1996 Chevrolet pick-up truck in the immediate area of Exit 4, where spike strips were successfully deployed.
After the vehicle ran over the spike mat, Hart stopped near mile marker 10 in Derry, where he fled on foot into the woods. At this time the State Police fixed-wing aircraft, which was in the immediate area conducting motor vehicle enforcement, responded quickly to the incident. Once on-scene, Troopers positioned in the aircraft were able to follow Hart as he fled on foot into Derry.
Troopers from the air craft then watched Hart as he stole another vehicle, this time a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, that had been started and left running in a driveway by the owner.
The police aircraft observed Hart travel into the town of Windham where Windham Police Officers attempted to stop the vehicle. Again, Hart refused to stop for law enforcement and a second pursuit traveled onto Interstate 93 and proceeded southbound where NH Troopers once again got involved.
The aircraft and pursuing Troopers followed Hart into Massachusetts where members of the Massachusetts State Police and the Lawrence Police Department immediately got involved. Hart fled into Lawrence where he pulled the stolen vehicle into a DPW garage on Auburn Street. Hart then subsequently fled on foot into an adjacent multi-level apartment building on Chestnut Street. Hart was located hiding in an attic crawlspace by a Massachusetts State Police dog, and taken into custody.
Hart is being held on fugitive from justice charges by the Massachusetts State Police and is expected to be arraigned later today. Once a hearing is scheduled and held, Hart will be extradited back to New Hampshire to answer multiple charges from the Manchester, Derry, Windham and State Police Departments.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is requested to contact Trooper M. Hicks and Trooper D. Roger at the NH State Police – Troop B barracks at 603-223-4381
