Ayer man accused of swallowing drugs after he was found passed out in vehicle has charges dismissed

AYER — On Saturday, June 14, 2025, at approximately 7:50 a.m., Officer Michael Nicolo of the Ayer Police Department was on patrol observing traffic on Main Street when he was approached by a motorist.

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

“A motorist stopped and stated he had been fishing at Sandy Pond this morning,” Officer Nicolo said. “He claimed a male party in a blue Buick had been passed out behind the wheel for the past hour. I notified dispatch of the report and responded that way.”

Officer Nicolo said that Officer James Crawford also responded to assist.

When Officer Nicolo arrived at Sandy Pond Beach, he observed a blue Buick with Massachusetts plates in the middle of Snake Hill Road.

“I observed the vehicle’s brake lights illuminated and the reverse lights on with the engine running,” Officer Nicolo said. “I pulled into a parking spot and observed a white male party asleep at the driver’s seat. I ran the registration via my MDT [mobile data terminal]. The RMV returned that the registered owner was Charles Morrison.”

According to police, Charles Morrison, 57, is a resident of Oak Ridge Drive, Ayer, MA.

“I exited my vehicle and walked over to the Buick and took a few seconds to observe items in plain view of the vehicle,” Officer Nicolo said.

Officer Nicolo reported seeing, in plain view, a red metal crack pipe and a corner baggie containing white powder on the vehicle’s center console, along with a large black hunting knife on the front passenger seat, outside its sheath.

“The knife was in reaching distance of operator, I knocked on the window waking the operator. I instructed the operator to put the vehicle in park, which he did. I asked for his license, which he had a hard time locating,” Officer Nicolo said. “The operator grabbed the license once, not realizing it was his driver’s license. He finally located it in the middle console next to the crack pipe. While searching for his license, he covered the crack pipe with a paper towel also in the middle console. The operator was now identified as the registered owner, Charles Morrison.”

Officer Nicolo then told Morrison to move his vehicle out of the roadway and into a parking spot, which he did.

“I instructed Charles to turn the vehicle off, which he did,” Officer Nicolo added. “I then asked Charles to hand me the crack pipe. Charles handed me the red crack pipe. I asked what he used it for, and he claimed he didn’t know what it was. I looked at the crack pipe and observed that it had been used and had metal chore [Chore Boy scrubber] in the tip.”

At this time, Officer Crawford arrived to assist.

Officer Nicolo said he ordered Morrison to exit the vehicle and he refused.

“I told him I had probable cause for narcotics in the vehicle and I would be searching the vehicle and he was being detained,” Officer Morrison said. “I opened the driver side door and grabbed Charles left arm to assist his removal from the vehicle. Charles again refused the order, pulling away from me and tensing up his muscles and bracing his feet on the floor board. While Charles pulled away, I observed Charles attempt to reach for the corner bag with his right hand in the middle console. I advised him to stop reaching for ‘it’ multiple times. His tactic went on several times, like we were playing tug-a-war.”

Officer Nicolo stated that Charles told him he was not grabbing anything but was using the center console for leverage to help himself out of the vehicle.

“Once Charles got the corner bag, he lunged forward with his upper body and head going towards the middle console,” Officer Nicolo said. “I observed Charles put the corner bag into his mouth. I yelled to spit it out multiple times while grabbing the back of his neck. I observed Charles’s veins in his neck expose when forcefully swallowing the bag. Once he swallowed the bag, he became compliant for the time being and exited the vehicle.”

Officer Nicolo asked Morrison what he just swallowed and he said nothing.

“Charles claimed nothing, there wasn’t a corner bag there and did not swallow anything,” Officer Nicolo recounted. “Charles was instructed to place his hands behind his back that he was being placed under arrest, which he did while tensing up his muscles and pulling his hands away claiming he’s not resisting.”

Officer Nicolo handcuffed Morrison, Officer Crawford searched him, and Morrison was then placed in the rear of a cruiser.

“Officer Crawford and I systematically searched the vehicle, starting at the front of the vehicle,” Officer Nicolo said. “In the middle console, I located a white paper towel. In the paper towel, I located a folded brown napkin. In the brown napkin, I located a white powder substance. Charles claimed it was baking soda when asked. Baking soda is a well-known cutting agent for cocaine. Charles became irate, claiming he just got out working from his construction job. He claimed he was being harassed by us and was only watching over the pond.”

Officer Nicolo said Morrison then asked the officers if they had their body cameras on.

“We informed him we did not, which he stated ‘you don’t have video of me putting anything in my mouth,’” Officer Nicolo said. “Officer Crawford and I stated we watched him do it. Charles stated ‘so you have no proof.’ Charles then requested medical attention and a supervisor. Charles was upset when I told him I was the highest-ranking officer working right now. Charles claimed he had high power lawyers and will be suing us. Charles yelled multiple times that he knows his rights. Charles stated he had bad wrists and needed the handcuffs fixed.”

According to Officer Nicolo, Morrison was removed from the cruiser, a second pair of handcuffs was added and double locked “for his comfort” and he was placed back inside.

“Ayer Fire Department was notified and arrived on scene,” Officer Nicolo said. “Charles refused medical attention.”

Officer Nicolo stated that he contacted Chief Brian Gill to inform him of the situation.

“Chief Gill instructed me to have him sent to the hospital for observation, since he swallowed an unknown white substance in the bag,” Officer Nicolo said. “Officer Crawford went to Leominster Hospital with Charles. Charles’s vehicle was parked legally and left at Sandy Pond Beach.”

Officer Nicolo said that at 11:11 a.m., Sergeant Eric Pearson picked Officer Crawford and Morrison up from Leominster Hospital. Sergeant Pearson and Officer Crawford then completed the booking process.

“I field tested the white powdery substance discovered in the brown napkin back at the station, which was negative for cocaine and opioids,” Officer Nicolo said.

Charles Morrison was charged with the following:

• OUI—Drugs
• Disorderly Conduct

Morrison was arraigned in Ayer District Court on June 16, 2025. Following his arraignment, Morrison was released on personal recognizance under the condition that he not take any non-prescription drugs, excluding marijuana. On July 11, the Commonwealth requested a warrant for Morrison for allegedly violating his pretrial conditions, and the warrant was issued on July 14. Morrison was arrested on July 18, but during a default removal hearing that same day, the court recalled the warrant and denied the Commonwealth’s motion to revoke his bail.

Morrison then attended a pretrial hearing on July 23, which was continued to Aug. 6, 2025.

During the pretrial hearing on Aug. 6, 2025, Judge Tejal Mehta dismissed both charges against Morrison.

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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