MANCHESTER, NH – At approximately 9 a.m. on Dec. 26, Manchester Police responded to Gulf Express, 21 Main St. for a reported attempted carjacking. Officer Craig spoke with the victim, of Windham, who stated he was stopped at a red light at the intersection of Granite Street and Second Street when a white male, described as about 5-foot-9 inches tall, medium build with slight facial hair wearing a dark colored jacket, gray winter hat and dark colored backpack, approached his vehicle holding a wood stake commonly used to mark for plowing. The man repeatedly ordered the victim to get out of his vehicle. When the victim did not comply, the man used the stake to repeatedly strike and cause damage to the outside car mirror. The man then fled on foot toward Main Street. The victim tried to follow the man, losing sight of him around West High School.
At approximately 9:17 a.m., Officer Craig responded to 218 Main St., where he spoke with another victim, Doreen Bettes. Bettes reported that she was warming up her car and clearing off the snow. She was standing approximately 15 feet away from her car when she reported a white male, matching the description from the call just moments earlier, was seen running up Flaherty Lane with the wood stake in hand. The suspect threw the stake to the ground jumping into and stealing her running vehicle, a silver 2008 Hyundai Elantra.
A few minutes later, Officer Smith responded to an accident at 152 South Main St., for a vehicle into a building. The vehicle involved was the stolen Hyundai from 218 Main St. One witness reported the vehicle passed her on the left in the oncoming lane at a high rate of speed. The vehicle lost control, before crashing into the building. A second witness watched as the driver, fitting the same description as earlier, ran up to another car stopped in traffic ordering the driver out of the car. Unable to gain control of another vehicle, the suspect fled on foot to the Walgreens parking lot at the corner of South Main and Varney streets.
Within minutes, officers responded to Walgreens for a reported carjacking. Officer Heile spoke with the victim, Kristen Caron of Weare, and her juvenile daughter. The victim reported that they were sitting in their car when the suspect, same matching description as the previous calls, opened her driver’s door, shouldering his way into the car and telling them to get out. The victim and her daughter climbed out of the passenger side door unharmed. The suspect fled the parking lot in their 2016 Ford Focus gray.
This same vehicle was reportedly involved in two hit-and-run accidents in Derry and Hudson.
According to Hudson Police, at about 9:35 a.m. a Hudson Police Officer was flagged down regarding a hit-and-run on Central Street. Hudson Officers quickly located a Ford Escape in a snowbank with damage on Central Street near Belknap Road. Witnesses observed a white male running from the area of the vehicle. Hudson officers detained the subject near Cumberland Farms, later identified as Anthony Plourde, 22, of Manchester.
Through the ensuing investigation Hudson Officers determined the Ford Escape was involved in two different collisions in Hudson. The first was on Central Street by Lawrence Road where the Ford Escape, operating west bound, began to pass a Chrysler 200 on the left and side swiped the Chrysler. No one on the Chrysler was injured. The second collison occurred about 2 miles west of the first at Central Street and Greeley Street where the Ford Escape hit a Kia Soul in the eastbound left turn lane of Central Street. The Kia had rear driver’s side damage and had to be towed from the scene, and the driver was being evaluated for a possible minor injury.
While the Hudson Police were still investigating, a “Be On the Look Out” (BOLO) bulletin was received from Manchester Police regarding the Ford Escape as the subject of a carjacking in their city.
Plourde is charged in Hudson with felony receiving stolen property, felony reckless conduct, felony conduct after an accident, misdemeanor conduct after an accident, and driving while intoxicated.
The suspect was apprehended by Hudson Police and identified as Anthony Plourde 22, last known address of 538 Dubuque St., Manchester.
In addition, Plourde will face the following charges at a later date in the 9th Circuit District Manchester:
2 counts of Class A Felony Stolen Motor Vehicle
1 count Simple Assault
1 count Conduct after an Accident
1 count Criminal Mischief
