NEWPORT, N.H. — A 62-year-old Newport, N.H., man was sentenced on Tuesday to 3½ to seven years in New Hampshire State Prison for what Sullivan Superior Court Judge Brian Tucker called some of the most reckless driving he has ever seen.
Charles Gibson led police on a chase in April through Grantham and onto Interstate 89, where he drove northbound in the southbound lanes, passing 27 cars. The chase ended when three officers boxed Gibson in. He then hit two police vehicles. No one was injured.
The prosecution played videos of the April 7 chase in court, which showed Gibson traveling in excess of 70 mph on Route 10 in Grantham before entering the interstate and changing directions several times by driving across the grass median.
Gibson, who Grantham police were attempting to arrest on warrants that day, told officers he led them on a chase because he was stressed out and not thinking clearly. He was suffering from fast-moving colorectal cancer and didn’t want to die alone in prison, Gibson told Tucker just prior to being sentenced.
Gibson expressed remorse for his actions and said he was thankful that no one was injured. He told the judge he is in a different state of mind now that he is in remission.
“I ask for forgiveness from the court,” Gibson said.
Tucker responded otherwise, saying it was “some of the most reckless driving I think I’ve ever seen.”
“I understand you were stressed over the fact that you had cancer, but that doesn’t give you a license to act like a lunatic,” Tucker said from the bench. “I am going to sentence you to the maximum sentence.”
Gibson, through his attorney, Jay Buckey, had asked for 12 months in the House of Corrections, while Assistant Sullivan County Attorney Geoff Gallagher sought 3½ to seven years in state prison.
Gibson pleaded guilty last month to two felony counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, one for driving the wrong way on the interstate and the other for striking a Springfield police cruiser. Tucker sentenced him to 3½ to seven years on one of the counts and a suspended sentence of the same duration on the second.
He also must pay $865 in restitution to the town of Springfield for the damage he caused to the cruiser.
Seven law enforcement officers attended the hearing, including four from Grantham and one each from Sunapee, Springfield and New Hampshire Fish and Game, an agency that aided in Gibson’s arrest. When Gibson stopped his Toyota Tacoma on the interstate after being boxed in by Grantham Police Officer Ryan Cameron, Springfield Sgt. Michael Beaulieu and Fish and Game Officer Kevin Bronson, Bronson jumped out of his truck, ran to Gibson’s door and pulled him out at gunpoint.
Gibson has a lengthy criminal record both attorneys said in court on Tuesday. Gibson told the judge he once suffered an opiate addiction after an industrial accident that “led” him to prison.
In addition to drug convictions, Gibson last year admitted to violating his probation two times for conduct similar to what occurred in Grantham. Gibson fled from Claremont police in October 2017 and Salem, N.H., police in February 2018, according to Gallagher.
Gibson, who grew up in Unity and who was incarcerated at the time of Tuesday’s hearing, has 71 days of pretrial credit.
Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.