Mast Road in Goffstown was shut down for more than 14 hours on Thursday, May 22, after a Dublin man crashed a stolen truck into crucial utility poles right in front of the Goffstown Police Department and the New Hampshire Prison for Women.

The crash happened just before 5:30 a.m., knocking out power to the police station, women’s prison, the Hillsborough County Nursing Home, a nearby Ford car dealership and dozens of homes in the area.

All electrical problems have since been fixed, said Goffstown Police Chief Patrick Sullivan.

Kevin Martel, 48, of Dublin, broke into Dublin’s Highway Department shed sometime in the hours before the crash and stole the $44,000 dump truck.

Sullivan said Martel tried to run away from the accident, but he was found just a few doors down from the police station at the nursing home. It is still unknown how fast Martel was traveling.

Goffstown police charged Martel with driving while intoxicated, possession of stolen property, conduct after an accident, criminal trespass and parole violation.

Two utility poles were affected, one of which had transformers on it that control the fire alarm boxes in Goffstown.

The women’s prison went into a modified lockdown when the power went out until it was restored, Sullivan said.

The costs associated with the damages are still being calculated, Sullivan said, adding the Police Department would seek compensation for the damages. “We will look for restitution. That will be up to a judge,” he said.

Martel, who was in a drug and alcohol treatment program in Dublin, was to be picked up on a parole violation, which police said prompted him to steal the truck and attempt an escape.

Dublin Police Chief James Letourneau said Martel escaped from Phoenix House, a rehabilitation center, at around 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, after spending more than a year there on a court order.

Police used K-9 units and searched for Martel for about two and a half hours, but found no trace of him.

When Goffstown Police dispatch called Letourneau at about 5:50 a.m. the next morning to report that the Dublin truck was lodged in their utility poles, Letourneau said he gave the dispatcher Martel’s information right away.

“We are preparing an investigation for the county attorney for a grand jury indictment,” said Letourneau. An investigation is underway to add burglary to the list of charges against Martel. “It’s one of our trucks that we probably use more than anything,” said Dublin Road Agent Brian Barden, adding the small dump truck was used to plow in the winter and haul materials to job sites in the summer.

Barden said it appears Martel broke in by using a prying device to disable the lock on the pedestrian entry door to the garage.

Barden, Dublin’s road agent for more than 20 years, said he’s never had anyone break into the highway shed before.

Right now, Barden said he’s trying to find somewhere to rent a similar piece of equipment to replace the totaled truck.

Martel was arraigned in Goffstown District Court on Thursday, May 22.

A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Monday, June 2, and his trial is scheduled for Tuesday, July 22.