Traffic Crash / Reckless Driving / Escape - Canterbury

On November 30, 2018 at 7:46 a.m. a trooper assigned to commercial vehicle enforcement came upon a traffic crash at the intersection of Route 132 and Kimball Pond Road in Canterbury. The trooper radioed headquarters and advised that he was at the crash and would standby until an officer from the Canterbury Police Department arrived. The trooper began to gather some information on the drivers who were involved in the crash. As the trooper spoke to one of the drivers who was later identified as: Alan Clark, Age: 18, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.

He began to walk away from the crash and away from the trooper. The trooper told Clark to stop at which time Clark ran toward the trooper's cruiser, got into the driver's seat and accelerated the engine. The trooper struggled with Clark to maintain control of his hands so that Clark couldn't put the cruiser into drive. As they struggled the trooper was unable to reach his radio but, with is elbow was able to push the cruiser radio microphone button. It was apparent from the disjointed radio transmissions and yelling that could be heard in the background that there was a problem. Multiple state police units, the Canterbury Police, and deputies from the Merrimack County Sheriff's department converged on scene. Clark was pulled from the cruiser, taken to the ground and handcuffed. Clark continued to struggle through the arrest. Clark was placed into the back of a second state police cruiser while troopers made sure the trooper that initially struggled with Clark was not hurt.

Seconds later Clark, while handcuffed, climbed through an open part of the partition that separates the front and back seats of the second cruiser. He had his foot on the gas of the second car in an attempt to escape. Clark was removed once again, re-handcuffed and shackled. He was placed again in the rear of the second cruiser and transported to the Merrimack County Jail.

Clark has been charged with reckless operation, conduct after an accident, resisting arrest, and 2 counts of felony escape.

Troopers later learned that a woman had stopped at the crash prior to police arrival to check on the occupants. When she approached Clark he assaulted her using a piece of pipe. An officer from the Canterbury Police Department has prepared a warrant and upon its approval Clark will be additionally charged with assault.

Clark will is being held at the Merrimack County Jail and will be arraigned on December 3, 2018 at the Merrimack County Superior Court.