Salem, NH PD: Three Cruisers Damaged, Man Behind Bars After Wild Chase
SALEM, NH (CBS) – A Salem, New Hampshire man is facing a number of charges after a wild police chase.
Police say an officer was responding to a report of an erratic driver on Friday evening when he found Luis Figueroa, 30, passed out behind the wheel of a Mercedes Benz with his foot on the brake and the car in drive.
The officer managed to wake up Figueroa, who alleged sped off down Tiffany Road.
Figueroa lives on Tiffany Road, which is a dead end.
After turning around, police say Figueroa hit several parked cars to get around the first cruiser; drove off the road and over a snow embankment to get around a second cruiser that was responding; and slammed head-on into a third responding cruiser.
Figueroa continued to accelerate, according to officers, and pushed the cruiser back about 15 feet before breaking loose.
Another officer who had jumped out of his cruiser right after the crash was nearly run over by the fleeing Mercedes.
Figueroa allegedly slammed into two more cruisers before officers were able to pin the car.
He was arrested after a brief struggle.
Officials say two Salem police officers suffered minor injuries and three cruisers were damaged in the incident.
Police also say they found a large bag of prescription Xanax in Figueroa's pants.
Figueroa is charged with Driving While Intoxicated, three counts of Reckless Conduct, Second Degree Assault, Possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute, and Resisting Arrest or Detention.
He is currently being held on a parole violation.
Figueroa has been convicted in the past on drug dealing charges. He was also arrested in 2012 after he was discovered hiding out at the home of a former police officer in Lawerence. He was charged then with being a fugitive and for endangering the welfare of a child, reckless conduct, disobeying a police officer, and placing another in danger.
He also reportedly was a suspect in a 2012 arson.
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