Wrong Way on One-Way Street Leads to Drug, Driving Charges

CONCORD, NH - A habitual offender was arrested recently on drug charges after being stopped for reportedly driving the wrong way on a one-way street in the South End, according to an arrest report.

James L. Mott, 30, of Perley Street in Concord, was arrested at 10:10 p.m. on March 2, 2016, and charged with felony habitual offender, felony possession of prescription drugs without a prescription, possession of drugs, and disobeying an officer.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link, which explains New Hampshire Patch's police log name removal policy.

An officer parked in a parking lot on Broadway monitoring traffic at just before 10 p.m. reportedly saw a van driving east on West Street and then, continue east onto West Street, going against the flow of one-way traffic on the road, according to an arrest report.

• Sign up for news alerts from local New Hampshire Patch sites.

The van reportedly passed by two “wrong way” signs before the officer pulled out to stop the vehicle but lost it, unable to see lights from a vehicle or anything else, due to the cruiser’s blue lights flashing. The officer then found the van parked in a driveway on West Street with a man standing outside the vehicle. One man reportedly told the officer that he was visiting his girlfriend and didn’t know the area; a second man, the property owner, however, told the officer that the driver was “trying to elude (the officer),” according to the report.

“I looked at the driver of the van and asked what was going on,” the officer alleged. “The driver stated he was sorry. He stated as soon as he saw the wrong way sign he pulled into this driveway to turn around. I asked why he turned his lights off. He had no answer.”

The driver – Mott – was questioned further by the officer and reportedly stated that he was on a pizza run.

“While I was speaking with Mott, he turned around and I observed a syringe sticking out of his back pants pocket,” the officer alleged. “I asked Mott about the syringe. He stated he was diabetic … I asked if he had any more syringes. He stated yes and pulled a second syringe out of his front pants pocket. I asked if he had any drugs on him. He stated no. Mott also told me he was out on parole.”

A detective and a sergeant showed up at the scene and a check of Mott by dispatch found that he was a habitual offender that was out on parole and he was arrested.

The detective spoke with the property owner who alleged that Mott “exited the vehicle and started walking towards him” and “pleaded with him to let him park in the driveway for a minute because he did not have a license,” according to the report.

Mott was arrested and while conducting an inventory search of the van, a detective allegedly found a bag full of syringes – 26, one with clear liquid inside – as well as six spoons, and “many” empty prescription bottles. A search of his wallet allegedly yielded suboxone.

After the arrest, according to the report, Mott supplied a copy of a prescription for suboxone from February 2014 from a Brattleboro, VT, pharmacy, without refills, according to the report.

Editor's Note: A booking photo submitted to Concord NH Patch by the Concord Police Department was not that of the person arrested. After confirming it was the wrong photo, it was taken down.