Hand-Written Plate Driver Wanted in MA

WARWICK, RI — An SUV with a hand-written plate driver told Officer Yadira Allen she had better have stopped him for a moving violation April 29 at 4;06 p.m. at 1390 Bald Hill Road.

A short time later, Allen  arrested the man, Norman J. Landry, 43, of 54 Privet St., Pawtucket, on a Massachusetts warrant for illegal firearm possession.

Allen noticed the red Ford Explorer while patrolling Bald Hill Road with Officer Johnathan DiPietro, according to her report, when her attention was drawn to the hand-written plate, printed on a piece of white paper, which read, “Private property, not for hire and do not tow.” She activated her cruiser’s lights and siren, pulling the SUV over in the lot of ScrubaDub Car Wash.

Allen approached the SUV and informed Landry of the reason for the stop. Landry replied with his warning that the stop shouldn’t have to do with the hand-written plate. He told her he knew the law and that it didn’t require him to affix registration plates to his SUV.

Allen reported that in addition to lacking registration plates, Landry also lacked the registration itself, and did not have proof of insurance for the SUV. He also became very confrontational and refused to get out of the SUV, Allen reported.

Landry didn’t have registration or proof of insurance, but he did have an outstanding warrant from Massachusetts for Possession of a Weapon – Firearm.

Two fellow officers arrived to assist, and Allen arrested Landry on the warrant, according to her report. Landry’s SUV was towed from the scene, and Allen transported Landry to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he was processed, cited for driving without evidence of registration, for driving without insurance, and for driving without plates. He was transferred to the ACI for extradition to Massachussets.