NEW HAMPTON — A 19-year-old Gilmanton driver crashed a vehicle into a home Tuesday, after fleeing a traffic stop in Meredith. No one else was injured, and no one was home at the time of the accident.
State Trooper Nathan Cobis of Troop E attempted to pull over a driver, later identified as Patrick C. Hamel, at 12:43 p.m. on Nov. 18, on Route 104 westbound, near the town line, because the car's window tint was too dark. Instead of stopping, Hamel sped away, fleeing from police as he illegally passed other cars. Soon after, Hamel lost control of his blue 2013 Ford Taurus, and crashed into the corner of a home on Shoreline Drive.
The damage was significant to both the house and car, and Hamel suffered minor injuries to his face, as observed in his mugshot.
He was taken into custody and brought to the New Hampton Police Department for booking and processing, where he was charged with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon (the car), reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal restraint and disobeying a police officer.
Hamel is being held pending trial. He was scheduled to appear Wednesday in Laconia District Court.
Troopers were assisted on the scene by members of the New Hampton police and fire departments and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Nathan Cobis at Nathan.F.Cobis@dos.nh.gov.
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