A high-speed chase by Peterborough Police officers resulted in the arrest of a Hancock resident, according to Chief Scott Guinard.

Riely Andersen, 26, turned himself in on Feb. 2 on warrants of reckless operation, disobeying an officer, reckless conduct, conduct after an accident, unlawful passing on the left, speeding and resisting arrest after the police chase the day before.

Guinard said Officers Shane Sweeney and John Giffin were traveling southbound on Route 202 on the way into Peterborough when they saw a traffic violation.

“They observed a vehicle overtake another vehicle, coming at them, on a double-solid yellow line,” Guinard said.

The officers began to pursue the car, which then allegedly passed another vehicle on a double-solid yellow line.

“The vehicle was increasing its speed, and in the officer’s opinion, was clearly attempting to elude the officers,” said Guinard. 

Eventually, the car turned into Hancock, and the pursuit continued onto Tannery Hill Road. It hit a snowbank and spun until it faced the oncoming cruiser, at which point it struck the front end of the police cruiser.

“The vehicle lost control and spun out and did what we call a 180 turn,” said Guinard.

At this point, Guinard said Sweeney recognized Andersen as the driver as he attempted to put the vehicle in reverse and lost control in the snow. When the officers got out of their own vehicle, he allegedly fled into the woods on foot.

“At this point, they’re yelling for him to stop,” Guinard said. The department’s K-9, Queso, was in the cruiser and the officers took him out to begin a foot pursuit, but the suspect’s car also had a large German shepherd that got loose.

“So now we had two dogs in the road,” Guinard said. “That kind of delayed a little bit the tracking of the individual.”

After a foot pursuit into the woods, Guinard said the officers returned to the vehicles to secure them and return the dog to a family member of Andersen’s. Other departments helped in the search, Guinard said, including Antrim, Hancock, New Ipswich, Greenfield and the Sheriff’s Department.

Guinard said that there was no damage to the police cruiser due to its reinforced push bumper. 

Andersen has been released on personal recognizance bail and has a court date set for April 12.