WARWICK, RI — Officers Derek Hagopian and Thomas Duncan were patrolling south on Post Road when they spotted a black sedan make a right onto the road from Chestnut Street, swerving, and stopped the driver, arresting him on a warrant and for marijuana possession.
The officers followed the car, a 2002 Infinity, onto Rte. 37 as the driver veered toward the exit without heeding a yield sign, and stopped the car on the highway, according to Hagopian’s report.
The officers identified the driver as Nathan Mercado, 18, of 1616 Montgomery St., Pawtucket. Mercado didn’t have a driver’s license or registration for the car, or proof of insurance, according to the report. Mercado said he’d just bought the car but couldn’t provide a bill of sale, either, Hagopian reported.
A check of Mercado and his two passengers turned up a warrant for the driver on a misdemeanor charge of possession of more than an ounce of marijuana, Hagopian reported. The officer arrested him on the warrant and handcuffed him, placing him at the hood of the cruiser to search him.
The passengers were picked up by their father, according to the report. A check of the car turned up 8.1 grams of marijuana, and one of the passengers also gave the officers 3.1 grams of marijuana, for which the person received a warning, according to the report. City Towing towed the Infinity from the scene.
At Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, Mercado was issued traffic citations for lane violations, display of plates, operating a vehicle with a cancelled registration, and operating without insurance.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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