New Hampshire State Police trooper uses cruiser to stop wrong-way driver

A New Hampshire State Police trooper used his cruiser to stop a wrong-way driver earlier Sunday morning, leading to the arrest of two people.

It happened just before 2 a.m. on busy Route 101 in Exeter. State police said several 911 callers reported the 2019 Nissan Kicks driving east in the westbound lanes.

Trooper Shane McClure was driving west and came across the car between exits 8 and 9.

"Knowing that he had passed multiple other vehicles while searching for the wrong-way driver, he knew that there were many other innocent drivers in danger. Trooper McClure then placed his fully-marked State Police patrol cruiser in the path of the wrong-way driver in an effort to end the possibility of tragedy to anyone else," state police said in a statement.

The wrong-way driver slammed into McClure's cruiser.

Cassandra Aldecoa, 21, of Dover, New Hampshire, was identified as the driver of the Nissan. She was arrested on felony counts of reckless conduct, second-degree assault, and criminal mischief, as well as misdemeanor aggravated driving under the influence and driving under the influence.

Her passenger, 21-year-old Zachary Lapierre of Lebanon, Maine, was also arrested. Lapierre was charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, contempt, and violating conditions of release.

Both were held on preventative detention and are scheduled to appear in Brentwood District Court on Monday.

Trooper McClure, Aldecoa, and Lapierre were all evaluated and found to have no serious injuries.

The incident comes after Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kevin Trainor was killed on May 6 while stopping a wrong-way driver in Lynnfield. The wrong-way driver was also killed.