Charges Against Stephen Coco Likely to Be Reduced

Stephen Coco was fired from his longtime job as a Manchester police detective after an investigation linked him to a March 22 hit-and-run that left two Bedford teens bloodied on the side of the road.

Coco was formally charged with two felony counts of conduct after an accident, but never indicted for the crimes, according to WMUR, which reported this week that a judge is expected to accept a plea deal that will reduce the charges from two Class B felony counts – which could have put Coco behind bars from 7-14 years – to two Class A misdemeanors, which each carry up to a year in jail. Coco could released for good behavior after eight months.

Coco had allegedly just left a small social gathering on Harrod Lane when his Manchester Police Department issued 2007 Nissan Pathfinder drifted to the side of the road and struck a 17-year-old male and an 18-year-old male from behind before fleeing the scene. The accident left the teens badly injured, one with bleeding to the brain.

Coco was released on $20,000 personal recognizance bail on March 26, the day of his arrest. He waived his probable cause hearing on April 16.

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