PORTSMOUTH — An Exeter man accused of intentionally driving into a flagger on Islington Street last week told a judge he's not guilty of three related felonies and if he thought he had hit someone, "I would've stopped and called 911 myself."

"I brake for squirrels," said Robert Frese, 61, of 43 Hayes Park, during a Tuesday arraignment for felony charges of first-degree assault, reckless conduct and conduct after an accident that caused personal injury.

Police allege on Aug. 8 Frese was driving a PT Cruiser when he knowingly caused bodily injury to the flagger, by means of a deadly weapon, by driving at him and striking him in the left knee. According to an affidavit filed with the Portsmouth Circuit Court by officer Robert Lukacz, the flagger was interviewed at the hospital and said that before Frese drove into him, he told the flagger, "If you don't move, I'm going to run you over."

While the flagger was turning around to face Frese, he heard the engine accelerate and saw the PT Cruiser "coming directly at him," the affidavit states. After striking the flagger, the driver, later identified as Frese, "quickly accelerated and left the scene," the officer's report states.

Based on witness accounts describing the SUV as having the vanity license plates "TRUMP1," Frese was tracked to Exeter where police in that town contacted him later that evening, court records state. Frese is alleged to have told Exeter officers he was driving on Islington Street at the time. He later told Lukacz he was driving on Islington Street at the time and did speak with the flagger, but did not drive into him, according to the police affidavit. Frese also denied telling the flagger he was "going to run him over," according to the officer's report.

During Frese's Tuesday arraignment, Portsmouth police prosecutor John Brown asked the court to set $10,000 cash-only bail while citing Frese's "significant" history of criminal convictions. Brown said Frese has been convicted in Massachusetts or New Hampshire for gross lewdness, theft by deception, attempted theft, theft of services, trespassing, criminal defamation, stalking, receiving stolen property, welfare fraud, criminal mischief and violation of a domestic violence order.

"This absolutely could have been a fatal accident," Brown told Judge Sawako Gardner, adding Frese did not know the flagger and describing the alleged crimes as "a random act of violence."

Arraigned by video from the county jail, Frese said he was "contesting all of this" and pleading not guilty to the three felonies, as well as a misdemeanor alleging he breached bail.

Frese asked the judge to set his bail at $1,000 cash, which he said he had with him at the county jail. He said he should be released because he's innocent and he objected to Brown's suggestion he not be allowed to drive because he drives people to hospital appointments, for no charge.

"I do community service," Frese said. "If I thought I hit someone, I'd be in shock."

Noting his bail can be reviewed after he meets with a public defender, the judge set $10,000 cash-only bail, ordered him to have no contact with the flagger and to not drive "at least not initially."

He was also ordered to appear in the Portsmouth Circuit Court for an Aug. 23 probable cause hearing and bail review.

Fire Chief Steve Achilles said last week it was a “low-speed” incident that caused the flagger to be spun around and knocked to the ground. Achilles said firefighters responded and assisted the 64-year-old flagger, who said he was directing traffic around construction on Islington Street when he was hit. The flagger told firefighters he informed the driver the road was closed and when he turned to walk away, he was struck, Achilles said.

The flagger complained of back pain and had a minor knee injury, the fire chief said. After he was evaluated by firefighter EMTs at the scene, the flagger was transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital in “stable condition” and with “minor injuries,” Achilles said.

In May, Frese was arrested by Exeter police for a charge alleging he was trespassing by rummaging through a private dumpster behind a business, after he was given prior warnings about trespassing. He was under bail conditions mandating his good behavior for that charge when he was arrested Monday on a warrant for the Portsmouth charges.

In 2013, Frese pleaded guilty to a federal charge of Social Security fraud, admitting he fraudulently received SSI benefits totaling $62,134 while failing to report “a substantial inheritance” he’d received from the estate of a deceased family member.