New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
On Monday July 4th at approximately 2:49 in the morning Rochester Police Officer Alex Malo clocked a motorist on radar travelling at 55 MPH in a posted 40 MPH zone on Snipatuit Road in the area of Pine Street and conducted a traffic stop.
It did not take Officer Malo who graduated from the full time police academy only a week ago very long to figure out he had more on his hands than a simple speeding violation. While talking with the driver, the officer noticed a large glass bong used for smoking marijuana and zip lock baggies on the back seat along with the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle.
When asked if there was any marijuana in the vehicle, the driver turned over a “Fluff” jar and a back pack both containing marijuana. The back pack also contained several pieces of Hash Butane Oil. The driver told the officer he had about half pound of marijuana.
With the driver in custody and information that the vehicle was unregistered, police called for a tow and conducted a vehicle inventory. Officers found $5,285 in cash, alcoholic beverages, mushrooms, scales, more baggies, smaller bags of marijuana packaged for sale, and three more large vacuum sealed bags of marijuana. In total police recovered nearly 6 pounds of marijuana from the vehicle.
The vehicle operator, 20-year-old Ethan J. Hathaway of Homestead Avenue in Acushnet was arrested and charged with speeding, unregistered motor vehicle, license not in possession, open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, minor in possession of alcohol, possession of a class C drug with intent to distribute, possession of a class D drug with intent to distribute, and possession of a class C drug.
Hathaway was arraigned in Wareham District Court Tuesday morning and released. Police seized his phone, vehicle and cash and will begin forfeiture proceedings on those items.
