EXETER, NH — An Exeter man has been arrested and is facing multiple charges after traveling the wrong way on Route 101.
At 12:42 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, 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 assigned to the Troop A barracks responded to the area and located the vehicle, a 2020 Ram 1500 pickup truck, still traveling the wrong way on Route 101 in Exeter.
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 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 an arraignment scheduled in Brentwood District Court today, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026.
Troopers were assisted during this incident by members of the Stratham and Exeter police departments.
