NORTHFIELD — A Concord man was arrested after driving the wrong way and damaging multiple other vehicles on Interstate 93.
At 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, State Troopers assigned to the Troop D barracks received a report of a pickup truck traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of I-93 in Concord just north of Exit 16.
Troopers responded immediately and coordinated with local agencies to slow traffic along the interstate while they started looking for the reported wrong-way driver.
A winter storm was moving through the area at the time and the road was partially covered by snow.
Additional reports from other drivers were received as the driver of the pickup continued north in the southbound lanes.
Within minutes, a Trooper slowing traffic in an attempt to prevent a high-speed, head-on crash encountered the blue pickup truck, which was continuing in the wrong direction.
The Trooper’s emergency lights were fully activated; however, the driver failed to stop and drove around the Trooper and a line of other vehicles.
Soon after, Troopers learned the wrong-way driver struck two southbound vehicles near mile marker 47 and did not stop, continuing north in the southbound lanes.
At 4:11 p.m., another Trooper was able to stop traffic ahead of the wrong-way pickup near mile marker 52 and used their cruiser to block the right lane and the breakdown lane, while deploying a tire deflation device in the left lane.
Three of the truck’s tires were deflated as a result, and the pickup was eventually stopped in the high-speed lane where Troopers took the driver into custody.
The driver was then identified as Matthew Burt, 33, of Concord.
Troopers have determined that Burt traveled at least 12 miles in the wrong direction on I-93 and caused damage to three vehicles throughout the incident.
Burt has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence (DUI), two counts of felony reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, two counts of conduct after an accident, disobeying an officer, reckless operation, and driving an unregistered vehicle.
He was held at the Merrimack County Jail pending arraignment.
The drivers of the other vehicles struck by the wrong-way pickup were evaluated on the scene by emergency medical services as a precaution.
The New Hampshire State Police would like to thank the many witnesses who contributed to the safe resolution of this incident, in addition to assistance from members of the Canterbury, Northfield, and Tilton police departments.
