×
×
homepage logo
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE

Brief, tense pursuit ends in crash, arrest

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Writer | Dec 13, 2017

Hudson police photo The Ford Focus that crashed into another vehicle while the driver was allegedly trying to flee police sits in a field off of Route 111 Monday afternoon. The driver was arrested.

HUDSON – Police didn’t specify just how fast 18-year-old Zackary Balcom was driving Monday evening when he allegedly sped past a stopped police cruiser before crashing into another car.

But they did allege that it was “an apparent high rate of speed” and “in excess of the posted 30 mph speed limit.”

Balcom, who police said was driving a 2016 Ford Focus, allegedly increased his speed when Officer Cody Lambert, who turned around and gave chase, tried to pull him over. But moments later, police said, Lambert came upon a crash scene involving the Focus and and a 2016 Chevy Malibu, and a short time later, Balcom was under arrest on several charges.

Neither he nor the driver of the Malibu, Ali Murphy, 32, of Derry, were injured, police said.

The charges against Balcom include one count each of reckless conduct, reckless driving, disobeying an officer, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to police. All are Class A

misdemeanors.

Balcom was booked at police headquarters and later released on $10,000 personal recognizance bail. He is scheduled for arraignment on Jan. 11 in Nashua District Court.

Police said the series of events began at about 5:45 p.m., when Lambert, who was just finishing up a traffic stop on Robinson Road, noticed a car go past him at “an apparent high rate of speed.”

The driver, later identified as

Balcom, allegedly refused to stop when Lambert activated his lights and siren in an attempt to pull him over, police said.

Balcom turned onto Lawrence Road, then onto Central Street (Route 111), and headed west.

As the car passed the intersection of Park Avenue, police said Lambert temporarily lost sight of it, but he then came upon the crash scene at the intersection of Central Street and Clement Road.

Balcom’s car rear-ended Murphy’s Malibu, police said, while Murphy was stopped in traffic waiting to turn onto Clement Road.

Police said a portion of Central Street was closed to traffic to allow officers to conduct their on-scene

investigation.

Dean Shalhoup can be reached at 594-1256, dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DeanS.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Interests
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *