MANCHESTER, NH – A Massachusetts man was arrested Oct. 26, charged with reckless operation and other violations after police say he was road racing in the area of Bedford and Spring streets.
William Sullivan, 24, of Lowell, Mass., was charged with disobeying a police officer and issued several motor vehicle summonses, to include reckless operation. He was released on personal recognizance bail and scheduled to appear in the 9th Circuit Court-Manchester on November 29, 2018.
According to police at about 9 p.m. on Friday complaints of racing in the city parking lot came in, so officers were dispatched to the area. Officers did not not witness road racing, but they did speak with several people who were in the vicinity, and warned them about their alleged actions. Traffic Unit Officer Dan Wood was operating a white unmarked police cruiser a short time later when he heard revving engines and observed two vehicles in the area of Kidder and Canal streets revving their engines while inside the same parking lot as reported earlier.
Officer Wood turned onto Bedford Street from Kidder Street when he observed two vehicles approach the faux starting line where a subject stood with their hands in the air signifying the race was about to start. As soon as the unknown person dropped their hand, both vehicles spun their tires and started to race.
The two vehicles accelerated rapidly through a cloud of burning rubber toward Spring Street, so Officer Wood activated his emergency lights. One of the vehicles slowed down and pulled away from the race while the other vehicle, operated by Sullivan, continued to accelerate towards Bedford Street at a high rate of speed, through a posted stop sign.
Sullivan initially refused to stop for the officer as he turned on to Bedford Street and drove toward oncoming traffic on the one way street, but eventually stopped for the officer when an oncoming vehicle traveling in the proper direction began approaching his 1996 Honda Accord.
Officer Wood arrested Sullivan, whose vehicle was towed from the scene. Officer Wood was unable to identify the other parties involved in the road racing incident. If anyone has information about this incident, please contact Manchester Crimeline to post an anonymous tip online, or call 603-624-4040.
