Harrison Thorp 7:52 a.m.
Monday, March 23, 2026 2:42 pm
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DOVER - A former Rochester man pleaded guilty today in Strafford Superior Court to three felonies in connection with a high speed chase in October of 2024 that began in Raymond and ended in Strafford.
Matthew Anderson, 37, was indicted last April on four charges stemming from the chase, including drug possession, falsifying physical evidence, criminal mischief and reckless conduct, combined penalties that added up to a cumulative sentence of 28-47 years in state prison.
After pleading guilty today he was sentenced to 1-3 years on the felony reckless conduct charge. The other charges were suspended.
The chase unfolded around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2024, when an officer with the Raymond Police Department attempted to stop the driver of a 2019 Toyota RAV4 for an equipment violation.
A State Trooper in the area stopped to assist the Raymond officer and activated their emergency lights, and the pursuit was then initiated as the driver of the RAV4 drove onto Route 101 and began to increase his speed.
During the pursuit, items from inside the RAV4 were thrown at police cruisers, including a hammer and what appeared to be drugs and drug paraphernalia.
The pursuit continued through multiple communities before officers in Strafford were able to successfully deploy tire deflation devices, according to police reports. While the driver of the RAV4 proceeded at a low rate of speed, a passenger got out of the vehicle and ran into nearby woods. The driver of the RAV4 stopped shortly after and he was arrested without incident just after midnight.
In the hours that followed, Troopers worked with local police officers and coordinated a search for the passenger. Members of the State Police's K-9 Unit and Special Enforcement Unit also responded to assist.
The next morning a Trooper in the State Police helicopter located the passenger hiding in a swamp. He was taken into custody and identified as Matthew Anderson, then 36, of Rochester.