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Teenager arrested after driving vehicle through Portsmouth International Airport fence

A 17-year-old fleeing state troopers crashed through a perimeter fence at a New Hampshire airport, striking a parked aircraft and a tractor.

The short version

  • A 17-year-old suspect was taken into custody after reportedly leading police on a pursuit and crashing through a perimeter fence at Portsmouth International Airport.
  • The suspect's vehicle crossed an aircraft parking apron and collided with a tractor and an unoccupied, stationary plane.
  • No injuries to others were reported, and the driver was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
  • The driver faces multiple misdemeanor charges, including aggravated driving while intoxicated, with an arraignment set for September 9, 2026.

Key facts

  • New Hampshire State Police attempted to stop a black 2008 Ford Mustang on Durham Street in Portsmouth after locating a vehicle tied to reported crimes in neighboring jurisdictions.[Fox News]
  • The unlit vehicle fled the stop attempt, crashed through a perimeter fence at Portsmouth International Airport, and traveled across an aircraft parking apron.[Fox News]
  • The car struck a Kubota tractor and a small, unoccupied plane before coming to a stop.[Fox News]
  • Police identified the driver as 17-year-old Wyatt Seely of Rochester, New Hampshire, and stated he was found intoxicated.[Fox News]
  • Seely was charged with misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated, aggravated driving while intoxicated, disobeying a police officer, conduct after an accident, and a violation-level reckless driving offense.[Fox News]

What remains uncertain

  • The specific local crimes that prompted police to pursue the vehicle initially have not been detailed by authorities.[Fox News]

Sources