Sanbornville man who led dozens of officers on weekend chase held on no bail

K9 Kaiser, who ended the chase, left, and Michael Bennett (Kaiser NHSP photo; Bennett WMUR screen capture)

ROCHESTER - A Sanbornville man led police on an extended late-night chase that began in Maine and continued into New Hampshire before going back into Maine and returning back into Rochester where he was finally corraled by NHSP K9 Kaiser.
New Hampshire State Police got involved early Saturday morning around 12:10 a.m. when they received information regarding a vehicle believed to be occupied by suspects wanted in connection with a theft Friday night in Sanford, Maine.
Troopers were provided a description of the vehicle which was identified as a 26-foot U-Haul box truck bearing Arizona registration plates. Troopers received additional information that the U-Haul had fled from the North Berwick, Maine, Police Department minutes earlier when officers attempted to stop the U-Haul in connection with the theft investigation.
Prior to the U-Haul fleeing from the North Berwick Police Department, officers conducted a traffic stop on the U-Haul during which the operator complied with police officers and exited the vehicle..
After the operator exited, the passenger entered the driver's seat and fled the scene, nearly striking the original operator, constituting potential felony charges in this jurisdiction and prompting the initiation of a pursuit, according to a NH Dept. of Safety statement sent out on Monday.
Police from North Berwick, Wells, Maine and Berwick Police all began pursuing the rental truck before terminating the pursuit after the U-Haul entered Rochester.
Around 12:23 a.m. a New Hampshire State Trooper located the U-Haul on Lowell Street in Rochester where they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the U-Haul truck fled again, initiated another pursuit.
The trooper continued to pursue the U-Haul as it traveled along several streets in Rochester and eventually onto Route 16 North via exit 13. The pursuit continued into Milton where the operator drove erratically, traveled at excessive speeds, and periodically extinguished his exterior lights.
At the request of Troopers, Officer William Bachert of the Milton Police Department deployed tire deflation devices on Route 16 North in the vicinity of exit 17, successfully deflating two tires on the U-Haul, according to Monday's Dept. of Safety press release.
In Milton Troopers continued to pursue the U-Haul as it traveled onto White Mountain Highway and eventually into Lebanon, Maine, and up Prospect Hill Road.
Eventually the U-Haul traveled back toward the New Hampshire border, where Trooper Cameron Vetter coordinated with Deputies from the York County (Maine) Sheriff's Office to deploy additional tire deflation devices at the intersection of Carl Broggi Highway (Route 202) and River Road in South Lebanon, successfully deflating an additional tire on the U-Haul. Immediately, the U-Haul re-entered Rochester, eventually entering the property of a private business located at 31 Front St.
After the U-Haul traveled along a dirt roadway behind the business and into an adjacent, the U-Haul became stuck in mud. The operator then fled on foot into a nearby wooded area and ignored Trooper Nathan Sleight's commands to stop.
At this point Sleight deployed his K9 partner "Kaiser," who apprehended the operator following a brief search of the wooded area. With the assistance of additional responding Troopers, Sleight placed the operator into custody without further incident. Further investigation confirmed that the operator had been the lone occupant in the U-Haul during the pursuit.
After being taken into custody, the operator was identified as Michael D. Bennett, 30, of Sanbornville.
Further investigation revealed that Bennett was the subject of an outstanding no-bail warrant issued by Strafford County Superior Court for absconding from drug court supervision. In addition, he was determined to be on probation as a result of a prior conviction for drug possession. Also, it was determined that Bennett's operator's license was revoked due to having been previously certified as a habitual offender.
As a result of this incident, Bennett was charged with a number of crimes to include Reckless Conduct - Class B Felony, Operating After Certification as a Habitual Offender - Class B Felony, Operating After Revocation - Class A Misdemeanor, Disobeying An Officer - Class A Misdemeanor, Driving Without Giving Proof - Class A Misdemeanor, and Resisting Arrest - Class A Misdemeanor (x2).
After being medically cleared at a local hospital, Bennett refused the services of a bail commissioner and was held in custody at the Strafford County House of Corrections pending an appearance in the Strafford County Superior Court on Monday.

Strafford County Jail personnel said today he remains held on no bail.

During the course of this incident, Troopers from the New Hampshire State Police Troop A Barracks were assisted by Troopers from the New Hampshire State Police Troop E Barracks, the Milton Police Department, the Somersworth Police Department, the Barrington Police Department, the North Berwick, Maine Police Department, the Sanford, Maine Police Department, the Berwick, Maine Police Department, the York County, Maine Sheriff's Office, Frisbie Memorial Hospital EMS, the Rochester Fire Department, and Rochester Truck.
This incident remains under investigation by Sleight of the New Hampshire State Police - Troop A Barracks in collaboration with the Sanford, Maine Police Department and the North Berwick, Maine Police Department. Pending further investigation, additional charges are likely to be filed against Bennett in both the State of New Hampshire and the State of Maine. Anyone with information pertaining to this investigation is asked to contact Trooper Sleight at Nathan.J.Sleight@dos.nh.gov.