MANCHESTER, NH – Stephen Hardy, 50, of Manchester, was arrested early Wednesday morning after police stopped him for a broken turn signal. They discovered he was wanted on three outstanding warrants out of Goffstown, and also found him to be in possession of crack and an unlicensed handgun.
At about 1:15 a.m. on Feb. 3 Officers Rob Megowen and Ryan Olsen observed a 1998 Ford Explorer on South Main Street. They noticed a defective turn signal as the vehicle turned onto Log Street, so they initiated a motor vehicle stop.
Hardy was accompanied by a passenger, who was not charged.
Dispatch confirmed three outstanding Goffstown warrants on Hardy – two counts conspiracy to commit robbery and one count criminal liability for conduct of another. Police advised Hardy of the warrants, and asked him to step from the vehicle. A small handgun fell out of Hardy’s waistband as he exited the truck, police said. The officers retrieved the handgun and placed it into evidence.
Hardy was taken to police headquarters in a transport wagon. Officer Ian Fleming located a small bag of crack cocaine near Hardy when he opened the doors to the transport vehicle. Hardy allegedly made several attempts to destroy or conceal the drugs, so he was charged accordingly with: possession of a controlled drug; falsifying physical evidence; and possession of a firearm without a license.
