Trucking News · New Hampshire · October 25, 2026

Police Say a Trucker's Cab Held About 170 Beer Bottles at a Bus Lot

Police officers talk with a truck driver beside a semi truck at a school bus depot as police vehicles wait nearby with lights on — Illustration for this story. Not a photo of a specific location.

Police in Bow, New Hampshire, say a call about a tractor-trailer blocking school buses ended with a truck driver in custody and about 170 beer bottles found in his cab.

The arrest happened Friday, Oct. 23, according to Bow police, as reported by WMUR, NBC Boston and the Union Leader. The driver, a 33-year-old man from Odessa, Texas, is charged, not convicted. Big Rig Daily is not naming him.

A truck blocking school buses

According to police, officers were called to a report of a commercial vehicle blocking school buses at the bus parking lot on Robinson Road in Bow. The Union Leader gave the address as 12 Robinson Road.

Police said the responding officers determined the driver was intoxicated. He refused their commands to get out of the truck, police said, and officers physically removed him and took him into custody "after a brief struggle."

No crash was reported.

About 170 bottles in the cab

During the investigation, officers found about 170 beer bottles inside the cab of the tractor-trailer, police said.

The reports do not say whether the bottles were full or empty, and police did not say how long they had been in the truck.

Police had looked for the same truck hours earlier

One detail in the police account is likely to get drivers talking.

Several hours before the call to the bus lot, police said, officers had searched for the same tractor-trailer after a report that it was leaving a truck stop with an intoxicated driver. Officers were unable to find the truck at that time, according to police.

The reports do not name the truck stop or say who made the earlier call.

The charges

According to police, as reported by NBC Boston and the Union Leader, the driver is charged with:

Driving while intoxicated, subsequent offense
Open container of alcohol
Resisting arrest

WMUR's shorter report lists the drunk driving and resisting arrest charges. The "subsequent offense" label means police are charging this as a repeat offense; the reports do not describe any earlier case.

He was being held pending arraignment on Monday, Oct. 26, in Concord District Court, which the Union Leader identified as the 6th Circuit, District Division, Concord. The reports do not name his employer or say where the truck was headed.

What is known and what is not

The facts in this story come from Bow police, as relayed by three New Hampshire and Boston news outlets.
The driver has been charged. He has not been convicted, and he has not yet been arraigned.
The number of bottles is "about 170," per police. Whether they were full or empty was not reported.
No crash or injuries were reported.

More for drivers

For a refresher on the rules that cover time behind the wheel and off duty, see the Big Rig Daily guide to ELD and hours of service rules. Drivers studying for a CDL can also try the free CDL practice test, which includes questions on the federal alcohol rules for commercial drivers.

A separate case this week in Arizona also involved a commercial driver arrested on suspicion of impaired driving. Read more in Arizona troopers say a car hauler driver blew a 0.168 after an I-40 rollover.