Fugitive arrested after high-speed chase

Reuben Adams

ROCHESTER - A fugitive from justice was arrested on Wednesday around noon after he led lawmen on a high-speed chase through downtown Rochester nearly striking two Rochester officers who tried to apprehend him.

Reuben Adams, 36, who had been traced by U.S. Marshal’s to an address on Bridge Street where the pursuit began, was finally found hiding in the rafters of a garage on Milton Road after police called off the chase and Adams crashed his car near the L’il Mart on Milton Road.

Police say they called off the pursuit prior to the crash due to public safety concerns.

The chase led officers through Rochester’s downtown, then up Wakefield Street and onto Milton Road.

A short time after the pursuit ended, lawmen found out that Adams had crashed and abandoned his vehicle, an Oldsmobile Alera, near the convenience store. Police called in K9 units and soon found Adams after following his footprints to a nearby garage at 160 Milton Road.

Adams was found hiding in the rafters and arrested without further incident.

Adams is currently being held without bail at the Strafford County Jail on numerous new charges after Wednesday’s arrest, as well as the original outstanding Vermont warrant which includes assault on a police officer and heroin possession.

An additional arrest was made in connection to the arrest of Adams. It was learned that New Hampshire parolee John McKenna, 43, of 17.5 Bridge Street, Rochester, was allowing Adams to stay at his residence. McKenna, on parole in connection with an earlier conviction for burglary and theft, is being held at the Strafford County Jail pending a parole hearing and return to the New Hampshire State Prison in Concord.

Adams had gone into hiding after being involved in a July 12 incident in Vermont involving an alleged assault on a police officer in which he dragged the officer with his vehicle during a traffic stop and was later involved in another high-speed pursuit.

Several law agencies participated in this arrest, including officers from the U.S. Marshal’s Joint Fugitive Task Force, the Rochester Police Department, Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, N.H. Department of Corrections – Probation and Parole, and State Police.

 New Durham and Barrington Police also assisted with their K9 units.