MANCHESTER, NH — Christopher Merritt, 43, of Manchester, was arrested Oct 14 by State Police on an outstanding warrant issued by Manchester Police, after his RV dumped sewage onto I-93 as well as a state police cruiser during a traffic stop.
According to a police narrative, at approximately 4:30 p.m. Trooper First Class Christopher Cummings of the New Hampshire State Police Troop B was on routine patrol on Interstate 293 in Manchester when a passing motorist stopped to advise him of a pickup truck towing a travel trailer on Interstate 293 southbound traveling slowly, and that the camper in tow was swerving from lane to lane.
Trooper Cummings located the pickup truck and travel trailer as it continued onto Interstate 93 north from Interstate 293 south in Manchester and signaled for the driver to pull over using his emergency lights. As the vehicle and travel trailer began to pull into the breakdown lane, the sewage tank on the travel trailer failed and released sewage onto Interstate 93 North and onto the Trooper’s cruiser.
Trooper Cummings discovered that there was an active arrest warrant from the Manchester Police Department issued for Merritt for receiving stolen property, and he was placed under arrest.
Merritt was also cited by Trooper Cummings for spillage of material; possession of license required; unregistered vehicle; and defective equipment. He is scheduled to appear in the Manchester Circuit Court on December 7, 2015 to answer the charges from the New Hampshire State Police.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and Department of Transportation were both contacted regarding the sewage that leaked onto the highway in order to conduct any necessary follow up. However, a response was determined to be unnecessary due to the limited amount of sewage released onto the roadway and the cruiser. Both the pickup truck and travel trailer were towed from the scene.
