A Massachusetts State Trooper stopped a sport utility vehicle in Haverhill just after midnight and, after an investigation, located two loaded guns under the back seats. None of the five occupants of the car had a license to carry a firearm, and all were placed under arrest by Haverhill Police.
At approximately 12:03 a.m., Trooper Patrick McCrave, who is assigned to the Newbury Barracks, was on patrol in Railroad Square in Haverhill when he observed a black 2013 Infiniti JX35 being operated in violation of motor vehicle laws.
The SUV’s driver, a 19-year-old Haverhill man, could not provide the Trooper with a registration for the vehicle and stated that he left it at home. When the Trooper noted that the driver was not the registered owner of the vehicle, and asked him to look into the glove box for the registration, the driver refused to do so. The female front seat passenger eventually looked in the glove box but did not find a registration.
After returning to his cruiser to perform a warrant check on the operator, Trooper McCrave observed the three male backseat passengers moving from side to side in the vehicle. Trooper McCrave further observed that none of the three male backseat passengers were wearing seatbelts. Trooper McCrave and Trooper Christopher Ryan, who had responded to back up the stop, began identifying the passengers and removing them from the vehicle.
Returning his attention to the suspect vehicle, Trooper McCrave observed a loaded Taurus .44 caliber revolver under the right rear seat. The Trooper then observed a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun under the left rear seat.
The operator and the four passengers were taken into custody by Haverhill Police, whose officers also responded to the scene of the stop. Haverhill Police took possession of the weapons and secured them for evidence. The driver is expected to face charges of unlawful possession of a firearm as well as motor vehicle violations. The three rear-seat passengers – a 20-year-old Haverhill man, a 22-year-old Lawrence man, and a 17-year-old Haverhill man – are each expected to face charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and seatbelt violations. The front seat passenger, a 20-year-old Lawrence woman, is expected to face charges of unlawful possession of a firearm.
