Exeter man hit with felony charges after driving wrong way on Rt. 101

Nathan Russell (Rockingham County Jail photo)

EXETER - An Exeter man has been arrested and is facing multiple charges after traveling the wrong way on Route 101.

Troopers got involved around 12:40 a.m. on Thursday when State Police dispatch started receiving 911 calls reporting a wrong-way driver traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Route 101 in Exeter.

State Troopers responded to the area and located the vehicle, a 2020 Ram 1500 pickup truck, still traveling the wrong way on Route 101 in Exeter, according to a Dept. of Safety press release.

As Troopers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver reversed direction, corrected the truck's direction of travel, and continued eastbound on Route 101. Troopers caught up to the truck as it approached Exit 12 and attempted to stop it again. Although the driver of the truck initially failed to yield, he ultimately stopped on North Hampton Road in Exeter after exiting the highway.

The driver was taken into custody and identified as Nathan Russell, 29, of Exeter.

During the investigation, Troopers determined that Russell displayed signs of impairment. He was arrested and charged with felony reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, misdemeanor charges of aggravated driving under the influence of liquor and disobeying an officer, and violations of reckless operation and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.

Russell was held on preventive detention at the Rockingham County Jail pending arraignment in Brentwood District Court.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Patrick Vetter at Patrick.R.Vetter@dos.nh.gov.