NH Man Arrested After I-89 State Police Chase, Crash In Bow

CONCORD, NH — A New Hampshire felon, previously convicted of negligent homicide for killing a police officer more than 13 years ago, has been arrested again.

New Hampshire State Police received a report of a hazardous operator in a red car traveling south on Interstate 89 in New London. The vehicle, according to Staff Sgt. Daniel Baldassarre of Troop D, was weaving in and out of traffic and passing vehicles in the breakdown lane. The trooper saw the car pass by him while in Warner and clocked it going 94 mph, the report stated. The car, a 2016 Honda Accord, also had a tinted plate cover, a report stated. At some point, Baldassarre added, the driver took Exit 9 and then, got back on the Interstate, attempting to elude troopers.

Troopers, however, caught up to the car in Hopkinton and accused the driver of driving erratically and passing multiple vehicles into Concord and Bow.

“Troopers were able to utilize tire deflation devices at Mile Marker 2 in Bow, which were successful in deflating one of the vehicles tires,” Baldassarre said. “The suspect took Exit 1 where he drove through the intersection at Logging Hill Rd and crashed into a stop sign on Tyler Road in Bow.”

After the crash, the driver was identified as Jeffrey Dennis, 35, of an unknown address, and he was charged with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, reckless operation, speeding, disobeying an officer, and failure to yield to a stop sign. Since he was out on parole, he was taken directly to prison.

Baldassarre said there were no injuries.

Dennis is no stranger to car crashes and fleeing from state and local police, according to press accounts dating back to 2003.

According online and superior court records, Dennis struck and killed Sean Powers of Hillsboro, a Hopkinton police officer, during an August 2008 crash on Route 202 in Henniker. Powers was riding his motorcycle at the time of the crash. Dennis fled the scene after the accident.

Dennis later pleaded guilty to conduct after an accident and negligent homicide in December 2008. He was released from prison on an out patient program in October 2012 and was granted the ability to reapply for a driver’s license in October 2017.

In 2003, Dennis pleaded guilty to fleeing an accident after crashing into a mailbox in Weare, according to the Associated Press. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to drunken driving, speeding, and resisting arrest after being clocked driving more than 90 mph on Interstate 89 in Concord — and then fleeing from state police by running into the forest, the report stated.

Anyone with information regarding the vehicle pursuit to contact Trooper Jared Scholand at 603-227-2159 or via email at jared.t.scholand@dos.nh.gov

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the New Hampshire State Police and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the removal request process for New Hampshire Patch police reports.

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