Traffic
New Hampshire I-89 Alert: Wrong-Way Driver Forces Shutdown Oct 28
Hopkinton, NH – A dangerous wrong way driving incident on Interstate 89 in Merrimack County forced New Hampshire State Police to shut down northbound traffic for approximately 20 minutes Wednesday, Oc
By Mason Reid · 2026-10-29T08:50:04.695Z
Hopkinton, NH – A dangerous wrong way driving incident on Interstate 89 in Merrimack County forced New Hampshire State Police to shut down northbound traffic for approximately 20 minutes Wednesday, Oct. 28, after a pickup truck driver allegedly evaded multiple attempts by troopers to stop him.
According to New Hampshire State Police, troopers assigned to Troop D received multiple reports around 11:48 a.m. of a silver Chevrolet 1500 pickup traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of I 89, just south of Exit 7 in Hopkinton, northwest of Concord.
Responding troopers located the vehicle continuing against traffic in the highway's high speed lane.
Police said the first trooper activated emergency lights and siren in an attempt to stop the pickup, but the driver allegedly avoided the cruiser and continued traveling the wrong way.
A second trooper attempted to intervene, but the driver allegedly accelerated and evaded that effort as well.
With the situation continuing, a third trooper initiated a rolling roadblock to stop northbound traffic just north of Exit 3.
Once approaching vehicles were stopped and the northbound lanes cleared, the first two troopers turned around, approached the pickup and surrounded it with their cruisers, bringing the incident to an end.
Authorities identified the driver as John Caramore, 78, of Charlestown, New Hampshire.
Caramore was arrested and transported for a medical evaluation.
Police charged him with felony reckless conduct, reckless driving and operating against the designated direction of travel on a highway.
He was released pending arraignment in Concord District Court on Friday, Jan. 29, 2027, under bail conditions prohibiting him from driving.
The northbound lanes reopened following the approximately 20 minute shutdown.
State Police said the investigation remains ongoing and are asking anyone with video footage or information to contact Trooper Chris Abbate at Christopher.J.Abbate@dos.nh.gov .