Leominster man arrested in Hubbardston after refusing to identify himself during traffic stop, found with unprescribed pills

HUBBARDSTON — On Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, at around 12:42 a.m., Officer Andrew Bresciani of the Hubbardston Police Department responded to Main Street following a report that a box truck was being driven erratically along the road.

(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Bresciani and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)

“Dispatch updated me that the reporting party stated the vehicle is pulled over on the side of the road on Main Street, near the police station,” Officer Bresciani said. “Within approximately 2 to 3 minutes of the original call, I located the vehicle.”

When he arrived on scene, Officer Bresciani said he saw a white, Chevy Silverado box truck pulled over on the side of Main Street that matched the description from dispatch.

“I pulled up behind the vehicle and activated my emergency blue lights,” Officer Bresciani said. “I talked to the male party, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, who stated he was out of gas. I would like to note that the vehicle was facing south on Main Street and passed a gas station approximately 200 feet behind it. The gas station, Mr. Mikes, has gas pumps that are operational 24 hours a day with a debit or credit card. The driver was acting extremely nervous and refusing to give me his license. I asked dispatch if the reporting party identified themselves and they said yes.”

Officer Bresciani asked the driver whose vehicle he was driving and he was stating he was driving his work truck.

“I asked for his name and date of birth but the driver refused again to give it to me,” Officer Bresciani said. “I informed the driver if he did not give me his information, I could arrest him for failure to identify to a police officer. The driver would only give me his first name, Andrew. I requested another unit for backup. Officer [Paul] Soojian from Rutland police arrived on scene soon after.”

At this time, Officer Bresciani called the on-call supervisor at the Hubbardston Police Department and advised him of the situation.

“I asked the driver one more time for his name and date of birth and he refused,” Officer Bresciani said. “I asked him to step out of the vehicle and put his hands behind his back. The driver complied. I placed the driver in a pair of double locked handcuffs.”

Officer Bresciani pat frisked the driver and placed him in the back of his cruiser.

“I had dispatch contact TJ’s Towing to tow the vehicle,” Officer Bresciani said. “I conducted a motor vehicle inventory search. I talked to the driver one more time and he finally gave me his name and date of birth, Andrew Welch (DOB: [redacted]).”

According to police, Andrew J. Welch, 32, is a resident of 46 Crystal Lane, Leominster, MA. Court documents indicate he’s single and unemployed.

“I had dispatch run Mr. Welch’s info and had him checked for warrants,” Officer Bresciani said. “Mr. Welch had a suspended license. TJ’s Towing towed the vehicle to their shop in Gardner.”

Officer Bresciani then transported Welch to the Hubbardston Police Station for booking.

“Mr. Welch was read his Miranda rights and allowed to make a phone call,” Officer Bresciani said. “While searching Mr. Welch, I found several pills in his front pants pockets. I asked Mr. Welch what they were and he stated that he had two Kratom pills, two Gabapentin pills, and two Adderall pills. I asked Mr. Welch if he had a prescription for the Gabapentin and Adderall and he said he did not. I put the Gabapentin and Adderall pills in sealed evidence bags. Bail Commissioner David Weiss was contacted and bail was set at $250.00.”

Welch posted bail and was released on his own personal recognizance.

“Officer Soojian gave Mr. Welch a courtesy transport to 116 Worcester Road in Hubbardston,” Officer Bresciani said. “I placed the two sealed evidence bags in the evidence drop box for safe keeping.”

Welch was charged with the following:

1. Motor Vehicle Operator Refuse to Identify Self
2. Operation of a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License
3. Possession of a Class E Drug (two counts)

Welch was arraigned in Gardner District Court on Oct. 15, 2024. He attended a pretrial hearing on Nov. 20, 2024. His next court date is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2025.

Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story was from October, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to get the court documents for the incident. FOIAs are time consuming.

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