PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Aug. 31 (Nationwide Times) — Wyatt Seely, 17, of Rochester, New Hampshire, faces multiple charges after police said he fled a traffic stop and drove through a fence at Portsmouth International Airport, striking a tractor and a parked aircraft.
New Hampshire State Police said a trooper tried to stop a black 2008 Ford Mustang shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday on Durham Street in Portsmouth. Police said the car was connected to reported crimes in other local jurisdictions and that the driver fled.
Police allege the Mustang was traveling without its lights on when it crashed through the airport’s perimeter fence. The car crossed an aircraft parking apron, hit a Kubota tractor and then struck a small, parked, unoccupied aircraft before stopping.
Seely was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for evaluation, according to state police. No one else was reported injured.
What charges does he face?
The charges listed by police are aggravated driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated, disobeying a police officer, conduct after an accident and reckless driving.
The charges are allegations, and they are not findings of guilt. The supplied reports do not include a blood-alcohol result, a charging document, a case number or an explanation of the facts supporting the aggravated DWI allegation.
The case is scheduled for arraignment Sept. 9, 2026, in Portsmouth District Court. An arraignment is an early court proceeding at which a defendant is formally informed of the charges and enters a plea or otherwise responds to the case.
What happened at the airport?
The impact damaged the vehicle and the aircraft, according to information reported by WMUR from airport officials and the Pease Fire Department. Firefighters controlled a fuel leak from the privately owned plane. The airport remained open during cleanup.
The reports do not provide an estimate of the damage or say whether the fence breach caused a wider operational disruption.
Portsmouth and Newington police assisted state troopers, according to the incident reports. State police have not publicly identified the aircraft’s owner in the information available for this report.
