NASHUA, NH : Nashua city monuments damaged in crash after police chase on Sunday, June 18, 2017

Granite monuments outside Nashua City Hall were damaged over the weekend when a pickup truck crashed into them at the end of a police chase.

Lawrence Thomas faces several charges, including disobeying a police officer and conduct after an accident. Officials said he led police on a short pursuit through the downtown area early Sunday morning before crashing into some monuments and a giant bell in front of City Hall.

Police said the chase started when officers saw the pickup truck driving the wrong way on Kinsley Street.

"We were fortunate that it was that time of night where there wasn't a lot of vehicles or people out and about," Sgt. Scott Hudon said. "He was driving in circles in the wrong direction for most of the pursuit."

Police said that at one point, Thomas got off the main roads and drove into a parking area and onto a sidewalk. The pickup truck took out some bushes, sideswiped a flagpole, knocked over a granite planter and Purple Heart monument and pushed a 1.5-ton Civil War-era fire bell off its base, bending a metal beam, police said.

"We do have some significant damage to the bell," said Lisa Fauteux of the Department of Public Works. "I think we're going to bring it back and see if our welders can twist it back into shape. It looks like the granite actually hasn't sustained a lot of damage, so we're going to try to reset that."

Police said Thomas ran and was arrested a short distance away.

"They hit objects that really hit home to us as a civic community, particularly our veteran's community and everything, so I'm hoping we can get this repaired," alderman at-large Michael O'Brien said.

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Nashua city monuments damaged in crash after police chase