New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“Around 2:30 a.m. on Friday, December 17, Trooper James Phillips, a recent graduate of the 86th RTT was on patrol with his field training officer, Trooper Ryan Crumbaker.
While traveling northbound on Route 93 in Randolph, Trooper Phillips observed a white Subaru Forester with a defective taillight make several marked lanes violations. Trooper Phillips initiated a traffic stop and made note of three occupants in the vehicle.
While approaching the vehicle, Troopers Phillips and Crumbaker noted that the rear passenger and driver were reaching toward various areas of the Subaru and ducking out of sight. Troopers also noticed distinct holes in the pillar and bumper of the car that appeared to be bullet damage, and a large bag of marijuana on the floorboards.
Due to the unusual movement of the occupants, apparent bullet damage, and a large amount of marijuana in the car, the occupants were told to exit one by one. The Driver, RECHMIAEEL TAJAH, 26, of Dorchester; the passenger, ANDREW COKE-BUNTIN, 30, of Stoughton; and rear passenger, BERKLEY CHAMBERS, 28, of Dorchester were removed from the vehicle.
Troopers initiated a frisk of the immediate areas of the vehicle where the occupants had been reaching to ensure no weapons had been stowed away. In the area he had observed CHAMBERS reaching, Trooper Crumbaker located a Jimenez Arms INC. semiautomatic handgun with a loaded magazine and a round in the chamber.
Neither TAJAH, COKE-BUNTIN, or CHAMBERS possess a license to carry a firearm and were placed under arrest. The firearm was discovered to have been stolen out of Little Rock, Ark. On July 6, 2021.
TAJAH, COKE-BUNTIN, and CHAMBERS were arraigned at Quincy District Court on the following charges:
• Possession Of A Firearm;
• Possession Of Ammunition Without FID Card;
• Carrying a Loaded Firearm;
• Receiving Stolen Property Under $1200; and
• Possession to Distribute Class D Drug.
Additionally, TAJAH was charged with:
• Marked Lanes Violation; and
• Equipment Violation (Defective Taillight).”
