Crime & Safety

Dragging Muffler Sparks Marijuana Arrest

The Middletown Police Department reported the following recent arrests.

Evan Christopher Strange, 22, of 876 Center St., North Dighton, Mass., was arrested around 9:48 p.m. Tuesday night on a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession. According to the arrest record, police stopped the car Strange was driving on Valley Road near the YMCA after noticing sparks flying out from under his car. The driver told police the car's exhaust had a broken bracket and the pipe was dragging.

During questioning, the police officer allegedly observed remnants of marijuana on the floor of the car and observed the driver to have glossy and bloodshot eyes, and Strange informed him that a small bag of marijuana was in the car.

A search turned up the bag in his backpack, according to the police report.

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Registration, Inspection Sticker Violations Turn Up Arrest Warrants

  • Middletown police arrested Nicholas William Doyle, 25, of 21 Park Holm, Newport, on two outstanding arrests warrants and another charge of driving without a license around 10:22 p.m. Tuesday night. According to the arrest record, police stopped the car he was driving at the intersection of Beacon Street and Beacon Terrace for an inspection violation. A background check revealed the driver had no valid driver’s license, and outstanding warrants issued by the Sixth District Court in Providence and the Second District Court in Newport for his alleged failure to appear at both courts.
  • Steven Casey Normandin, 19, of 252 Oliphant Lane, Middletown, was arrested around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday night on an outstanding arrest warrant from the Second District Court for his alleged failure to appear at court. According to the arrest report, police stopped his car on West Main Road for a suspected registration violation. Normandin was able to prove that he had just purchased the vehicle, but a routine background check showed the outstanding arrest warrant.

Two Arrested Claim Marijuana Was for Medical Uses

  • Corey Daniel Goglia, 27, of 37 Franklin St., Warren, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession Tuesday afternoon around 12:15 p.m. According to the arrest report, police stopped the car he was driving on East Main Road near Forest Avenue for an expired inspection sticker. During questioning, the police officer allegedly observed remnants of marijuana in the center console change compartment and Goglia lifted his cup holder to reveal a bag of marijuana. Goglia allegedly told the arresting officers that he used the marijuana for medical purposes.
  • Craig Mello, 31, of 100 Pocasset Ave., Tiverton, was arrested Monday around 12:37 p.m. on a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession. According to the arrest report, police stopped his car on East Main Road near the Aquidneck Shopping Center for an expired registration sticker. During questioning, the police officer allegedly saw a small marijuana pipe in the car’s sunglass compartment and detected the odor of marijuana, and Mello allegedly led police to a glass jar in the rear seat with marijuana in it. Further search of the car turned up two more glass jars with marijuana and several roaches in the ash tray, according to the arrest report. Mello told police that he uses the marijuana to treat pain from hip surgery.


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