A Penacook man accused of raping a 13-year-old in an abandoned home in the village last year is back in custody after a recent pursuit that involved local police, sheriff’s deputies and state troopers.
The search for 19-year-old Taylor “T.J.” Winter began on Oct. 14 after Loudon police received a call that he was with a 16-year-old girl in violation of a domestic violence restraining order. He also had bail conditions that prohibited contact with anyone under 18.
Winter is now being held at the Merrimack County jail in Boscawen for lack of $10,000 cash bail. He faces new charges of violating a protective order, resisting arrest, disobeying an officer, breach of bail and driving after suspension. District Court Judge M. Kristin Spath ordered Winter held on Oct. 15, noting that he had previously failed to appear more than seven times in court on other charges.
Loudon police responded to Lovejoy Road on Oct. 14 at approximately 1:16 p.m. after a caller reported that she had seen Winter in the company of a juvenile, according to a police affidavit. Sgt. Robert Akerstrom, who responded, learned from dispatchers that Winter had an active bench warrant and was the subject of a restraining order that prohibited him from being within 300 feet of the 16-year-old. Akerstrom was unable to locate Winter on Lovejoy Road but learned from the reporting party that he may have taken off on Route 106 toward Concord.
When officers ultimately came across the vehicle in question, they observed Winter flee in the direction of Foster Road in Loudon. Akerstrom wrote in his affidavit that he was able to drive down the opening of a snowmobile trail but then had to begin a foot pursuit. Winter, however, refused to comply and continued to run, the affidavit says.
At the request of officers on scene, a Pembroke officer responded with a police dog. Around the same time, police received a tip that Winter was sending Facebook messages to a girl asking her to meet him at the Dunkin’ Donuts on Route 106 so he could get a ride. Officers met the girl at Dunkin’ Donuts, where she received additional messages from Winter who indicated that he was at a sandpit in the area of Route 106 and Route 129.
Officers on standby there soon saw Winter appear from a walking path in the woods, Akerstrom wrote. But as soon as he saw police, he took off running, again.
A “be-on-the-lookout” or BOLO alert was issued to area police departments as the search continued. Akerstrom also requested the assistance of New Hampshire State Police and its police dog to relieve Pembroke’s unit.
Soon after, Akerstrom received word that officers had taken Winter into custody in the area of Lesmerises Road in Loudon.
A trooper later called the Loudon Fire Department to meet him after Winter complained of an arm injury while in the cruiser. Firefighters checked Winter and determined he needed further medical care at Concord Hospital.
Concord police Lt. Sean Ford said last week that city officers have arrested Winter several times since January, including in August on a charge of felonious sexual assault. Police allege Winter sexually assaulted a 13-year-old at an abandoned multi-unit home on Community Drive in Penacook during an underage drinking party on the weekend of Nov. 24, 2018.
The victim said during an interview at the Merrimack County Advocacy Center that she had walked to 24 Summer St. on the night of Nov. 24 with a friend to attend a party. The pair spent time with several teenagers at the house and then decided to go to a vacant apartment next door with two boys, including Winter.
The girl recalled that once inside the Community Drive residence Winter pushed her up against a wall next to the stove and started touching her inappropriately, according to a police affidavit. She said he touched her without her consent and then led her downstairs to the basement where the sexual assault occurred.
Winter is next scheduled to appear in Concord’s district court on Nov. 7 and in Merrimack Superior Court on Nov. 19.