On April 15, a Dartmouth student was arrested and charged with a felony and three misdemeanors for driving the wrong way on Interstate 89 while drunk.
Aneesh Sharma ’26 nearly struck a responding police vehicle head-on before leading police officers on a pursuit, according to a press release from the Lebanon Police Department. After pulling over, Sharma refused to comply with commands to leave the vehicle and was “removed” by officers, the release wrote.
“Upon investigation, officers determined that the driver was under the influence, exhibiting clear signs of impairment,” the release wrote.
Sharma was arraigned on April 15 and is scheduled for a probable cause hearing on April 21. He has been charged with a Class B felony for reckless conduct with a deadly weapon — the deadly weapon being his car. This charge is punishable by a minimum of one year and maximum of seven years in state prison and up to $4,000 in fines, according to state statute.
He also faces two Class A misdemeanors for disobeying a police officer, each punishable by a maximum of one year in county jail up to $2,000 in fines, and one Class B misdemeanor for driving under the influence. A first-time DUI offense is punishable by a minimum fine of $500, referral to an impaired driver care management program and revocation of a driver’s license for nine months to two years.
Sharma was also charged with two violations for driving against the designated direction and speeding over 65 miles per hour. Although violations are not considered criminal offenses in New Hampshire, they can carry a maximum fine of $1,000.
Sharma did not respond to a request for comment. A College spokesperson declined a request for comment.
Kelsey Wang is a reporter and editor for The Dartmouth from the greater Seattle area, majoring in history and government. Outside of The D, she likes to crochet, do jigsaw puzzles and paint.
