Nathan Saben and Jessica Tirone, wanted for New Hampshire carjackings, arrested after Dracut chase
DRACUT – An armed carjacking spree finally ended Thursday morning in Dracut with 35 year old Nathan Saben being put into the back of an ambulance, his girlfriend, 40 year old Jessica Tirone also cuffed and in custody.
Witnesses heard dozens of sirens before they realized what was happening as police pursued the couple wanted for two carjackings in the last 36 hours. They were spotted by Massachusetts State police troopers in Lawrence on South Union Street just after 9 a.m. Thursday and followed seven miles to Dracut in a black Subaru that police said they stole, Saben allegedly armed with a rifle.
It all unfolded before two men installing gutters nearby.
"Black car, the tires were blown out on it. I don't know whether that's why he stopped or he stopped because he was being basically consumed by all the cop cars," said witness Brian Fair.
Cellphone video showed Saben on the side of Route 110 in Dracut, ditching the car and walking with police close behind, and allegedly attempting another carjacking to get away.
"He got out of the car and started taking off on foot and he kept going, he kept going, wouldn't stop and then he approached another vehicle that was coming in the opposite direction and tried to get into that car," said a witness who did not want to be identified.
"He tried to carjack a poor older gentleman and then from there he started to just book it down that way. We believe he was holding his gun to his head and then the police ran after him," said another witness Kyle Drayer.
That's when police tackled Saben and finally got him into custody, the carjacking victim visibly shaken. "He was very traumatized afterwards. I actually went up to him afterwards and I told him that I was sorry that he had to go through that," said Fair.
Police said the Subaru Saben was in was carjacked at gunpoint from an elderly man in Alton, New Hampshire Wednesday morning. Hours before that, a young woman was allegedly carjacked in Salem, New Hampshire. Police had first spotted Saben in Haverhill Tuesday night, knowing he was wanted in an unrelated narcotics case. Witnesses were relieved to see the chaos come to an end.
"You don't need people like that running around. I'm very grateful for the way the police handled it, they were very professional about it, they kept everybody calm and safe," said Drayer.
The two suspects were taken to the hospital after their arrests where police said Tirone will remain overnight.
