Michael Demeritt, age 41, of 246 Ten Rod Road, Farmington

NASHUA – A police officer working a traffic detail near 15 Amherst St. early Tuesday morning alertly recognized the driver of a car that passed through the detail as a convicted felon who had “multiple active warrants” out for his arrest, police said.

The officer, Brian Howe, radioed Sgt. Caleb Gilbert and patrol officers with a description of the vehicle and its driver, Scott Collier, a 39-year-old local man who currently has no fixed address.

A short time later, according to police, Gilbert spotted the vehicle on Hampshire Drive, the main road for the Hilltop by Princeton, formerly Forest Ridge, apartment complex off Amherst Street.

As Gilbert pulled up behind the vehicle, according to police reports, he didn’t see anyone inside but did see a man standing near the door to an apartment building.

He heard the man allegedly yell, “Mike! Wake up!” then flee the scene, the reports state.

Scott Collier, age 39, of no fixed address, Nashua

Moments later, as backup officers arrived, they and Gilbert saw a man get out of the back of the vehicle and take off running, police said.

The officers caught up to the man a short distance away, and identified him as Michael Demeritt, 41, of 246 Ten Rod Road in the Strafford County town of Farmington.

While officers took Demeritt into custody and transported him to police headquarters for booking, other officers on the scene went back to check out the car, and, the reports state, noticed a Ruger handgun sitting on the driver’s seat. They determined the firearm had been stolen from the Farmington Police Department, the reports state.

Officers then had the vehicle towed to headquarters, where detectives applied for, and received, a warrant to search the vehicle.

They located a second Ruger handgun, according to the reports, along with a taser, fake badges, a ski mask, hand-held radios, and handcuffs.

Detectives determined that Demeritt had been in possession of one of the firearms before he exited the vehicle, and that the driver, whom they had identified as Collier, had been in possession of the other one.

“Both Collier and Demeritt have extensive criminal records, to include prior felony convictions” in various jurisdictions throughout the state, police said in a statement.

Meanwhile, as detectives dealt with Demeritt and the vehicle search, other detectives and patrol officers continued looking for Collier, who remained at large since fleeing Hampshire Drive around 1 a.m. Tuesday.

At some point later on Tuesday, police received information that Collier may be at 24A Lock St., a rental property on the corner of Lock Street and Foster Court and across the street from Foster Square.

Police learned that Collier allegedly told people at 24A Lock St. that he “had been running from the police” and that he had to “ditch his gun,” according to the reports.

He also allegedly told the people that he had spent the night hiding in a dumpster.

Police also would learn that Collier took a taxi from the Dunkin’ Donuts on Amherst Street, which is just down the street from Hampshire Drive, to 24A Lock St. early that morning.

Once police were able to confirm Collier was at the address, they activated the SWAT team in order to effect his arrest. Police didn’t say how long the SWAT team was at the scene, but said Collier was taken into custody at about 1 a.m. Wednesday – just about 24 hours after Officer Howe spotted him at the Amherst Street traffic detail.

As for the charges filed against the men, Collier faces one count each of armed career criminal, a special felony; receiving stolen property – firearm, and identity fraud, both Class A felonies; felon in possession of a dangerous weapon, a Class B felony; and resisting arrest or detention, Class A misdemeanor.

The charges against Demeritt include one count each of armed career criminal, special felony, and felon in possession of a dangerous weapon, Class B felony; and two counts of resisting arrest or detention, Class A misdemeanors.

Both have been arraigned in Hillsborough County Superior Court South and both were ordered held on preventive detention.

Collier’s next court appearance, according to his case summary, is a dispositional conference currently scheduled for 8 a.m. Feb. 24.

Demeritt’s next appearance is a bail hearing currently scheduled for 11 a.m. Jan. 21.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.