Officer Stops Car, Arrests Driver for Cocaine Possession

WARWICK, RI — Officer Ali Jaafar was patrolling Elmwood Avenue headed toward Cranston May 11 at 4:49 p.m. when he spotted a white Nissan Rouge make an abrupt turn onto Pawtuxet Avenue without a turn signal, following as it rolled through a stop then turned without a signal again, stopping it and arresting the driver on a charge of cocaine possession.

The car’s last turn without a signal was into the Enterprise Rental on Post Road near Harrington Avenue. Jaafar approached the car, which he noted had after-market window tint, and identified the driver as Jason Wilcox, 37, of 73 Maplewood Ave., Cranston. Jaafar noted there were three phones in the car, according to the officer’s report, as well as a stack of EBT and gift cards, which Wilcox said were from the numerous women he had relationships with.

Wilcox’s daughter was also in the car with him. Wilcox said he had been on his way to buy a bicycle for her, and had stopped at the rental office to renew his rental agreement.

When Jaafar asked why Wilcox has so many phones, he said he had numerous relationships and didn’t want his girlfriend to know. When asked about the tint, Wilcox said he had installed the tint on the car himself, from a kit from WalMart.

A check of Wilcox’s license revealed it had been suspended, and Jaafar asked him and his daughter to step from the car. The daughter was taken inside the rental office to wait there while the officers spoke with Wilcox.

A search of the car revealed a jar of marijuana, and a bag of what later tested positive for cocaine in a bag beneath a loose cup holder in the center console, as well as a granular substance in a separate bag suspected to be crack cocaine. Jaafar and responding officers arrested Wilcox, and a search of his person turned up $1,300 in cash.

Jaafar transported Wilcox to Warwick Police Headquarters, where he was charged with possession of 44 grams of cocaine with intent to manufacture or deliver, one ounce to a kilogram, and with possession of crack cocaine, as well as possession of marijuana, one ounce or less. He was also cited for driving on a suspended license and failing to heed traffic signals. His car was left at the rental company.