Vehicle chase through Bristol, Meredith, Laconia, Hooksett ends in Manchester

A Bristol Police officer is credited with discovering a city truck allegedly stolen from Cambridge, Massachusetts this week, and its driver led multiple police departments on a chase through the Lakes Region, ending with the suspect being tased and taken into custody in Manchester.

David Virgue, 38, of Manchester, was apprehended by Hooksett Police on Wednesday, and faces a felony charge of receiving stolen property. He was also charged with disobeying a police officer and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors, and three violations, including driving with a revoked license, speeding, and disobeying a traffic light.

Virgue also violated a protective order issued by Tilton Police.

Sgt. Bob Reardon, public information officer for the Cambridge Police Department, said at 3:38 a.m. on May 13, officers responded to the 200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, for a reported vehicle theft.

“Officers learned that a pickup truck owned by the City of Cambridge Water Department had been stolen from a job site and was last seen heading toward Boston,” Reardon wrote in an email on Thursday. “Working with Water Department employees, officers were able to ping a phone that had been in the vehicle and learned it was now in New Hampshire. Authorities in New Hampshire were notified.”

Bristol Police reported Officer Ronald Taylor was heading home at the end of his shift when he located a truck reportedly stolen from Cambridge.

Information provided by Bristol Police says at 4:58 a.m. on May 13, Cambridge Police notified the department about the stolen truck, and that it was traveling north on Route 3A.

Officers attempted to pull the truck over, but Virgue allegedly didn’t stop, and continued north through Bristol, into New Hampton, Meredith and then toward Laconia. Bristol Police said at this time, the pursuit was at low speeds, and traffic volume was “low to none.”

Laconia Police Chief Matt Canfield said the chase entered the city, heading south on Parade Road near the Belknap County Jail. The truck started speeding, and the supervisor called off the pursuit, before city officers got involved.

“There were speeds being reported of about 70 miles per hour, and that is a 35 mile per hour zone, so the supervisor felt those conditions were unsafe,” Canfield said.

Canfield said in a pursuit, police will determine the “risk and reward” of recovering a stolen vehicle. He said the high speeds presented a risk to the public, police, and the driver.

“When there is a stolen vehicle, we weigh out those options for the potential loss of life,” Canfield said.

Canfield said Cambridge Police then called to say a phone inside the vehicle was pinged, and it was located near Hector’s restaurant on Beacon Street West, in Laconia. When officers arrived it was gone, but the ping then showed the suspect heading down Route 106 South, with Canfield presuming he was heading toward Hooksett.

Hooksett Police were notified Franklin Police had been involved in a pursuit of a stolen vehicle. At about 5:30 a.m. on May 13, a Hooksett officer on patrol near Hooksett Road and Interstate 93 saw the vehicle speeding and attempted to pull it over. Virgue allegedly refused to stop, and fled into the City of Manchester.

Virgue stopped the vehicle near Beech and Hanover streets in Manchester, got out, and tried to walk away. He allegedly did not to comply with the Hooksett officer’s commands to stop, and was tased before being taken into custody.

Assisting agencies also included State Police, Manchester Police, and Hooksett Fire-Rescue.

Virgue was previously accused of felony theft in April 2018, but it was not prosecuted, after the time limit for an indictment passed.

In December 2018, he was charged with felony arson and reckless conduct in Dover. According to a State Police report, troopers went to the Spaulding Turnpike for a reported vehicle fire, and a preliminary investigation found Virgue purposely set a Subaru WRX on fire before fleeing the scene. Virgue was a resident of Tilton at that time.

While the arson charge was dropped in January 2019, he was convicted of reckless conduct in October 2020, and sentenced to six months in Strafford County Jail, with all but 144 days suspended.

In August 2021, Virgue was charged with three misdemeanor counts of theft, and indicted on two of the charges in December 2021. Virgue pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2022, which landed him a pair of 12-month jail sentences, which were suspended. In August 2022, he was ordered to pay restitution amounting to $5,329.28 to Sal’s Pizza, and received two years of probation.

Reardon said on Thursday Cambridge Police had not yet filed charges.

Virgue was being held without bail in the Merrimack County House of Corrections until he his arraignment in Manchester District Court on Friday morning. The case could go to trial as soon as Tuesday, July 21.