A New Hampshire man accused of driving while intoxicated and crashing into an occupied police cruiser apparently didn’t get enough of the police attention the first time around. Just hours after being arrested and released, authorities say he was back behind the wheel of another vehicle, resulting in a second DWI arrest before the night was over.
According to the Portsmouth Police Department, 25-year-old Michael Stiles of Portsmouth was arrested twice between the evening of October 12 and the early morning hours of October 13, 2026. The first encounter involved a collision with a parked police cruiser, while the second occurred after investigators developed probable cause to believe he had driven another vehicle following his release.
Fortunately, the officer sitting inside the cruiser escaped the initial collision without injuries, although the patrol vehicle sustained substantial damage. Stiles was initially released on personal recognizance bail after being charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless conduct, and reckless driving.
However, his freedom was short-lived after officers responded to another incident involving him at a local towing business just a few hours later. This time, police charged Stiles with another count of driving while intoxicated and breach of bail, leaving him held without bail pending his scheduled court appearance.
First DWI Arrest Follows Collision
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The Portsmouth Police Department said the first incident occurred at approximately 10:15 p.m. on October 12 when a vehicle struck a parked patrol cruiser near the intersection of Vine and Islington Streets. An officer was sitting inside the cruiser at the time, but police confirmed that the officer was not injured in the collision.
Investigators identified the other driver as Stiles and arrested him following an investigation at the scene. The police cruiser suffered substantial front-end damage and had to be towed away, making the encounter considerably more expensive in terms of equipment than an ordinary traffic stop.
Stiles was charged with Class B misdemeanor driving while intoxicated, Class A misdemeanor reckless conduct, and Class B misdemeanor reckless driving. Despite the collision and resulting charges, he was released on personal recognizance bail, meaning he was permitted to leave custody without posting a monetary bond.
Second DWI Arrest Hours Later
At approximately 1:34 a.m. on October 13, Portsmouth officers responded to National Wrecker on West Road for another incident involving Stiles. During their investigation, officers developed probable cause to believe that he had operated a different motor vehicle to reach the location after being released from his earlier arrest.
Police arrested Stiles a second time, charging him with another Class B misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated and Class A misdemeanor breach of bail. Unlike his first arrest, this encounter ended with Stiles being held without bail pending an arraignment scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on October 13 at Portsmouth District Court.
The Portsmouth Police Department confirmed that its Patrol Division was continuing to investigate both incidents, including the collision that damaged the occupied cruiser.