A motor vehicle stop this morning ended with far more serious charges.
At 9:40 today, an officer conducting traffic enforcement on the Sherwood Island Connector pulled over a car with 4 occupants, for a violation.
As the driver retrieved paperwork from the glove compartment, the officer spotted a plastic bag with red capsules — the type often used to package crack cocaine.
The officer called for backup units. Seconds later, the passenger in the front seat fled into the woods next to the commuter parking lot.
The officer gave chase, and saw him throwing items as he ran. The passenger was taken into custody after a brief struggle with officers. The other 3 occupants did not attempt to flee.
The evidence that the passenger discarded was retrieved. The suspected narcotics were tested, and found to be cocaine and crack. Both were mixed with fentanyl. The crack cocaine weighed 12 grams; the cocaine weighed 60 grams.
Evidence seized in today’s arrests. (Photo courtesy of Westport Police Department)
The passenger who ran was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, illegal operation of a drug factory, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence, assault on a public safety officer, and interfering with an officer. He is being held on a $75,000 bond.
The driver was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, interfering with an officer, criminal impersonation, misuse of a license plate, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, illegal tinting, and operating without a license. He is being held on a $51,000 bond.
The rear passengers were not charged. However, one was taken into custody, with outstanding warrants in other jurisdictions.
Investigators are still working to determine the identities of the 2 people arrested.
Police vehicles converged on the Sherwood Island Connector this morning. (Photo/Matt Murray)
The bigger question is where exactly in Westport were they going?
Good, aggressive, heads up police work. These guys were most likely coming into town to perpetrate another crime(s). Nice work WPD..
Cocaine and crack laced with Fentanyl. Looks like Westport has met the world.
Job well done Westport PD!!!! I am so proud to live in a safe town knowing that our police officers work so hard at what they do. They put their lives on the line every day and every time they have a call. You just never know who or what is in that vehicle or what kind of person you’re dealing with on that call. Thank you for being so vigilant. Proud to support our men and women in blue.
Great work WPD …
good police work.
Westport PD is simply awesome. People do not realize how much drug transportation happens in the tri state area thru Westport right between New York and Boston and through Stamford and New Haven. Because we dont see it, we dont know it exists. More drugs are caught passing thru this region than in most towns in Connecticut. We have the great model of a community because of what the Westport PD does not let us see!
Great work! The scary thing is that law enforcement can easily get exposed to fentanyl without knowing it. Many cops have had to use Narcan to save the lives of the people they work with.
Of course, the good guy who originally pulled the car over will be accused of “profiling.”