Ayer man arrested in Westford after erratically operating U-Haul on I-495; heroin, Suboxone, and Adderall seized

WESTFORD — On Sunday, June 8, 2025, at approximately 10:16 p.m., Officers Bradley Walk and David Short of the Westford Police Department responded to a report of an erratic U-Haul truck driver on Interstate 495 North, who got off the highway and parked at Haffner’s Gas Station at 179 Littleton Road.

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

“Upon arrival to Haffner’s, I located the only U-Haul truck on the property, bearing Arizona Reg [# redacted],” Officer Walk said. “I pulled my marked cruiser up to the gas pump behind the vehicle and observed two parties exiting the vehicle. The passenger, a female party later Identified as Heather Smith, got out of the passenger side door, and the driver, a male party later Identified as Matthew Green, exited the vehicle through the driver side door.”

According to police, Matthew D. Green, 37, is a resident of 96 E Main Street, Apt. [# redacted], Ayer, MA. Court documents indicate he’s single and unemployed. Heather Smith, 34, who is Green’s girlfriend, lives with him at the same apartment in Ayer.

“I walked up to the driver, who was walking towards the entrance of Haffner’s, and asked him if I could talk to him for a second, to which he agreed,” Officer Walk said. “I explained to the driver that a report was transferred from State Police Dispatch to Westford Dispatch, about the vehicle’s operation. Matthew stated that due to the high winds and empty box truck, he admits he was swerving and then admitted to cutting across all three lanes of travel to get off the exit.”

At this point, Officer Walk asked Green if he was willing to provide his driver’s license for documentation. Green agreed, walked back to the U-Haul to retrieve his wallet, handed over his Massachusetts driver’s license, and then pulled his pockets out as if to show the officer he had nothing on him.

“As I walked back to my cruiser, Officer Short arrived on scene and I informed him the operator walked inside Haffner’s,” Officer Walk said.

Officer Short entered the store and asked Green and Smith, who were inside purchasing cigarettes, to step outside and explain the reason police had been called about their driving on the highway.

Prior contacts with Green reveal pattern of behavior

Officer Short said he immediately recognized Green, having conducted field sobriety tests on him just hours earlier for suspected drug use while driving.

“I also know Matthew to be a former drug user and this is the third time in several days that officers at the Westford Police Department have made contact with him,” Officer Short said.

He explained that on June 5, 2025, at approximately 4:37 a.m., Officer Collin Breault located Green and Smith asleep in the same U-Haul parked behind Haffner’s Gas Station. Officer Breault reported that Green was drooling on his lap and didn’t respond to knocking. After shaking Heather awake, she roused Green, and both were sent on their way after being identified.

Later that week, and just hours before the current incident, Officer Short and Officer Matthew Laverdure responded to Cumberland Farms at 188 Littleton Road around 8:31 p.m. on June 8. Green was again found slumped in a vehicle and did not wake when officers knocked. Officer Laverdure had to physically touch him to wake him.

“Matthew was covered in sweat and was disheveled in appearance,” Officer Short said. “Matthew had a butane lighter between his legs and put it behind him when he got out of the car. I suspected impairment by the use of drugs based on Matthew’s history and his current status at that time.”

Officer Short said Green complied with field sobriety tests and completed “all batteries of the tests.”

“I did not place Matthew under arrest and believed that he would be safe to operate a vehicle that night,” Officer Short said.

Officers note physical signs of drug use

After asking Green and Smith to step out of the store, Officer Short said Green appeared disheveled and was acting erratically, scratching his arms in a nervous manner as he spoke with police.

“Matthew had open scabs all over his arms,” Officer Short said. “I observed Matthew to have ‘track marks’ on his arm, some of which were open and fresh.”

Officer Short stated that, based on his training and experience, the “track marks” he observed on Green’s arms were consistent with those typically seen in intravenous drug users.

“I asked Matthew why this was the third time in the same week that Westford police officers were making contact with him,” Officer Short said. “Matthew replied that he didn’t understand and this ‘only happens in Westford.’”

Officer Short said he informed Green that police had been dispatched to check on his well-being following a report that he had been swerving all over the highway.

Consent search leads to drug discovery

“Based on Matthew’s past known drug use, this was the third time in several days we had made contact with him, the track marks on his arm, his driving behavior on the highway, and the fact that he appeared to be very nervous and erratic, I believed now that I had reasonable suspicion that Matthew may be involved in some form of drug activity,” Officer Short said. “I knew that there was no K9 working on shift or on duty to request, so I asked Matthew if I could conduct a consent search of the front seat of the U-Haul truck, in a non-coercive manner. Matthew stated ‘go ahead’ and opened the passenger side door of the U-Haul.”

Officer Short said he observed a large backpack in the front seat of the vehicle, positioned between the driver’s and passenger’s seats. He asked Matthew if the bag belonged to him, and Matthew confirmed that it did. Officer Short also noted that the U-Haul had no backseat, only an enclosed front cab.

“I began searching the bag and located a Coca Cola can that was dense and hard to the touch. I observed that the cap can be screwed off,” Officer Short said. “I know through my training and experience that this is a fake Coca Cola can that has a screw-on removable top with a hollow inside.”

Officer Short said he opened the fake Coke can and found three tied-off plastic baggies: two containing a white powdery substance, and one containing a small amount of marijuana, an unknown pink substance, and additional white powder.

“I know through my training and experience that this is a common way that drugs are packaged for use or distribution,” Officer Short said. “It is also known to me that the white powdery substance appeared to be a controlled substance possibly of the likes of cocaine or heroin.”

Officer Short said he also located a small white tub containing a similar white powdery substance in the backpack. The tub was approximately one-quarter full.

“I continued my search of the bag and located a small blue scale,” Officer Short said. “I opened the scale and observed more white powdery substance residue all over the scale. I continued looking through the bag and located a small round orange pill, with the number 30 and the letters ‘dp’ on it. Using the website, Drugs.com, I found this pill to be an Adderall 30 mg pill. The pill was not in a prescription container and was located by itself inside a very small Ziploc bag. Based on what I had found to this point, I know that the white powdery substance was either a Class A or B drug. I also know that Adderall is considered a Class B drug in Massachusetts.”

Green detained after search yields suspected drugs

Officer Short then walked over to Green and detained him, placing him into handcuffs.

“Matthew was read his Miranda rights by Officer Walk off of a standardized card that he had. Matthew stated that he understood and would speak with us,” Officer Short said. “I asked Matthew what the white powder was and he stated that it was baking soda.”

“At this point, I requested dispatch to call the reporting party back so that I could obtain more information about the call. I was able to speak with the reporting party, Krystal [last name redacted],” Officer Short said.

Krystal said she was traveling on I-495 northbound before Exit 83 in Westford when she observed a white U-Haul box truck driving over 80 mph. She said she knew this because she was traveling at 75 mph.

“Krystal also explained that the U-Haul’s entire back end was open and the contents inside appeared as if they would fall out,” Officer Short added. “Krystal stated that she tried to get the vehicle’s attention by flashing her lights at them. The U-Haul was swerving between the middle and left lanes on 495, before rapidly getting off exit 83 into Westford. Krystal stated that she followed the U-Haul off the exit and observed it pull into the Westford Haffner’s located at 179 Littleton Road. Krystal even told me that she took a photo of the U-Haul on the highway, which she later forwarded a photo of.”

Officer Short said that, with Green detained, he continued to search the backpack.

“I located two butane torch lighters and a burnt Brillo pad,” Officer Short said. “I know that butane lighters are commonly used to heat drugs, especially crack cocaine or heroin when smoked or vaporized. I also know through my training and experience that a burnt Brillo pad is utilized as a makeshift filter for a crack pipe. The users stuff a small piece of the Brillo which is a form of steel wool that acts as a screen to hold the drugs while it’s heated and smoked.”

Officer Short said he located two small tin containers in the backpack.

“I opened one with an Altoids label on it and discovered a black tar-like substance wrapped inside a thin piece of plastic,” Officer Short said. “The substance appeared to be a brownish sticky substance that had a dried tar-like consistency, believed to be black tar heroin – a Class A Drug. The other tin that I located contained two small vials filled with a white powdery substance. Also located inside the tin was a small blue straw which I know through my training and experience to typically be used for snorting of powdered narcotic substances.”

Officer Short said he completed his search of the backpack and found no additional contraband. He said he did not locate anything else inside the U-Haul either.

“I then returned to Matthew who was accompanied by Officer Walk and placed him into the back of Officer Walk’s cruiser,” Officer Short said. “I then went to speak with Heather who also kept saying that the powder was baking soda. When I showed the white powdery substance to Heather, she stated that she did not know what that was. When I asked Matthew what the white powdery substance was, he stated that he did not know and that he was with someone else today who brought Coca Cola cans in the car. Matthew did not identify who this was and said the drugs that were located inside the fake Coca Cola can belong to this unidentified person.”

Officer Short said all the contraband and drugs mentioned above were seized at the scene, placed into evidence bags, and secured in his cruiser.

“I returned to Matthew with Officer Walk and had him exit Officer Walk’s cruiser,” Officer Short said. “I walked Matthew to my cruiser and conducted a search incident to arrest of Matthews’s person. Matthew and all seized evidence were placed into my cruiser.”

Officer Walk said that after Green was read his Miranda rights, Heather told him that she was attempting to get in contact with a licensed operator to take custody of the vehicle, and stated she had someone that would be there in about an hour.

“[…] However, shortly after Officer Short cleared the scene, Heather decided she would not stand by and wait for a licensed driver to come, as she needed to go buy cigarettes,” Officer Walk said. “I then called for a tow for the U-Haul and completed a motor vehicle inventory sheet pursuant to department policy.”

Christopher’s Towing then arrived on scene and took possession of the vehicle.

Officer Short then transported Green to the Westford Police Department for booking.

“Matthew was brought into the booking area and searched again,” Officer Short said. “I removed Matthew from handcuffs and he began the booking process with Sergeant [Nirisa] Nicoletti.”

Officer Short said that after he left the booking area, Officer Laverdure informed him that, while conducting an inventory of Green’s wallet, he found 22 Suboxone 8mg/2mg sublingual film packets inside.

“Matthew stated that these were Heather’s prescriptions, but were still found in his wallet,” Officer Short said. “Sergeant Nicoletti booked Matthew and afforded him all applicable rights.”

Green was charged with the following:

1. Possess Class A Drug, Subsequent Offense (heroin)
2. Possess Class B Drug (Adderall)
3. Possess Class E Drug (Suboxone)

Officer Short noted that Green was being charged with a subsequent offense for the Class A charge, as he had previously been found guilty of possessing a Class A controlled substance in Lawrence District Court, on May 25, 2017.

Green’s bail was set at $500.

Green was arraigned in Ayer District Court on June 9, 2025.

Following his arraignment, he was released on personal recognizance under the condition that he refrain from drugs.

Green’s next court date is a pretrial hearing scheduled for July 16, 2025.

Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in June, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.

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