An armed New Hampshire man is being praised by police for his decision to intervene and stop a drunk driver trying to flee after he crashed into a number of cars and a restaurant in the final hours of 2018.
Fifty-year-old Aaron Marconi was arrested by Portsmouth Police on Monday night after he drove his car into several other cars, a Dunkin Donuts sign, and a sandwich shop. He allegedly attempted to flee the scene of the accident but was stopped by a bystander whose name was not released by police. The bystander blocked Marconi's car with his own.
When threatened by Marconi, the bystander drew his weapon and told him to stop.
"The first Samaritan attempted to prevent the suspect from driving away by blocking the suspect's vehicle with his own car," Portsmouth police told the Portsmouth Patch in a statement. "The suspect threatened to kill that man and then attempted to back up. The second Good Samaritan seeing this aggressive action and hearing this threat, warned the first man and instructed him to retreat. The second man then challenged the suspect with his firearm while issuing commands to stop."
The bystander held Marconi at gun point until police arrived and took him into custody. Portsmouth Police officer Timothy McCain said he believed the bystander likely saved lives by intervening.
"The actions that [the bystander] took, I believe stopped further destruction and probably prevented a tragedy," McCain told WBZ-TV.
Police told the station they found heroin in Marconi's car and he is being charged with a variety of crimes including driving while intoxicated, criminal threatening, conduct after an accident, and felony possession of a narcotic drug.