GREENLAND, N.H. — A New Hampshire motorcyclist is being held in preventative detention after not stopping for state troopers while driving recklessly on local roadways at speeds of 158 miles per hour, state police said.
Zachary Michael Dionne, 21, of Farmington, will face a judge for his arraignment on Monday after his arrest on Sunday, state police said. He is charged with felony reckless conduct – deadly weapon, resisting arrest, disobeying an officer, reckless driving, failing to display plates, unsafe lane change, and unregistered vehicle.
On Sunday, state police received a report of a group of motorcycles traveling “hazardously” eastbound on Route 101 in Raymond. Trooper Thomas Lombardi was in the state police aircraft and was able to locate the group of motorcycles.
Lombardi’s attention was drawn to the front motorcycle, which was pulling away from the others in the group, passing other motor vehicles, and going in between two vehicles at the same time, state police said.
Lombardi measured the speed of this motorcycle to be 158 miles per hour as it continued eastbound, state police said. As the motorcycle approached the exit ramp for Interstate 95, Trooper Samuel Provenza recorded another speed of 110 mph and activated his emergency blue lights.
Provenza saw a passenger on the back of the motorcycle, and it did not appear to be slowing. He did not pursue it, officials said.
Lombardi and the state police aircraft followed the motorcycle as it headed eastbound, then southbound on Route 1.
Once it slowed in traffic, Provenza, on the ground, saw the motorcycle and tried to stop it.
“The motorcycle again refused to stop and instead accelerated rapidly and began recklessly passing other vehicles and disregarding multiple motor vehicle laws,” state police said in their statement.
Provenza did not pursue and allowed the aircraft to follow it.
The motorcycle continued onto Route 107 and then entered I-95 northbound, where Lombardi clocked multiple additional speed readings, with a high speed of 144 miles per hour, state police said.
During this time, the motorcyclist “used all lanes of I-95 to pass and weave in and out of traffic,” state police said.
The motorcycle took Exit 3, and Lombardi watched as it traveled down Greenland Road and pulled into a gas station.
There, Sgt. John LaPointe arrested Dionne and took him into custody.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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