A man with active warrants who tried to outrun a traffic stop near the I-93 and Route 213 interchange did not get far, according to police. After bolting from a vehicle and heading north toward Salem, New Hampshire, he wound up stuck in a marshy stretch by the Methuen Rail Trail, where a multi-agency search using drones and air support finally tracked him down. Methuen Fire personnel responded to check on his condition while officers and troopers scoured the swampy terrain. He was later transported to the Massachusetts State Police barracks in Andover for booking.
Drone Eye In The Sky Helps Close The Net
According to the Methuen Police Department, Massachusetts State Police stopped a vehicle at the I-93 and Route 213 interchange on Wednesday when a male occupant took off on foot. The department said its drone unit spotted the suspect in swampy terrain west of the Methuen Rail Trail, which turned out to be the key break in the search.
Multiple Massachusetts State Police units, including the state police air wing, joined Methuen officers and units from Salem, New Hampshire, to canvass the area along Hampshire Road. Police said the man, who had two active warrants and is well known to local law enforcement, was ultimately taken into custody after being located in the marsh.
Tricky Search Zone Near The New Hampshire Line
The swamp and marshland around the northern end of the Methuen Rail Trail near Hampshire Road is a patchwork of paved path, wetlands and backwoods right up against the New Hampshire border, which can make tracking someone on foot a challenge. TrailLink notes the rail trail's northern terminus at Hampshire Road and nearby access points, outlining the kind of landscape officers were dealing with.
Mass.gov lists the Andover State Police barracks at 31 Gould Road, which is where, according to Methuen police, the man was transported for booking after his arrest.
Drones And Regional Backup Prove Their Worth
Methuen has invested in a drone program that has become a regular tool for searches and incident response. GovTech reported that Methuen launched its drone unit in 2017 and has used it in missing person searches and for monitoring major incidents. City of Methuen planning documents for 2026 through 2030 list expanded drone capability as a priority for the department.
In its social media post, Methuen police credited the drone's role in spotting the suspect and highlighted coordination with the state police air wing and neighboring departments as key to wrapping up the search.
Legal Process Moves Forward
Methuen police said the man had two active warrants, although the department did not list the underlying charges in its public statement. Booking was completed at the Andover State Police barracks, and the case will now move through standard state and local procedures.
The Methuen Police Department asked anyone with additional information related to the incident to contact the department through its usual channels.
