WESTFORD — On Thursday, June 18, 2026, Westford Police Officer Maxwell Sears was dispatched to a motor vehicle crash on Boston Road between the Interstate 495 overpass and the I-495 northbound off-ramp after Massachusetts State Police, who were already on scene, reported the crash.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Maxwell Sears and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
Upon arrival, Officer Sears made contact with Massachusetts State Police Captain Eric Bernstein, who reported that while driving home from work, he observed a vehicle with Massachusetts plates off the roadway following what appeared to be a single-vehicle crash.
“Captain Bernstein stated that he made contact with the operator inquiring if he was ok and what had happened,” Officer Sears said. “Captain Bernstein elaborated that based upon his brief interaction with the operator he believed that the operator was impaired.”
Officer Sears returned to his cruiser and used its mobile data terminal to conduct a CJIS (the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services database) query of the vehicle’s registration, which showed that it was a black 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe registered to Andre Rivera.
According to police, Andre Rivera, 41, is a resident of Lowell, MA.
Officer Sears reported that the vehicle had come to rest off the right side of the roadway, with its front left tire positioned on the curb.
“The rest of the vehicle was fully off of the roadway at a slightly left cantered angle,” Officer Sears said. “The vehicle was resting on a decline, leaving the driver’s side of the vehicle slightly elevated at an angle above the passenger side.”
Officer Sears said there was also a short trail of grass indentation behind where the vehicle had crossed over the white fog line and exited the roadway.
“Furthermore, there was a sign on the ground directly behind the vehicle,” Officer Sears said. “The vehicle had paint transfer and damage to its front left consistent with a collision into the sign after exiting the roadway. Given these facts and circumstances, it was apparent that the vehicle was traveling in the southbound lane on Boston Road towards Littleton Road.”
At around this time, Sergeant Steve Keins and Detective Joseph Chenell arrived on scene to assist.
Officer Sears said he made contact with the driver, Rivera, who was in the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
“Andre opened the driver’s door, and I immediately detected a moderate odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Andre’s vehicle and person. Andre was seated in the driver’s seat alone in the car,” Officer Sears said.
Officer Sears said Rivera was wearing gold-tinted sunglasses and, at the officer’s request, removed them, revealing bloodshot, glassy eyes.
Officer Sears then asked Rivera if he was okay and what had transpired that evening.
“Andre stated, ‘I crashed’ and ‘I am okay,’” Officer Sears said. “I then asked if Andre had consumed any alcoholic beverages this evening, to which he stated ‘no.’”
Officer Sears then asked Rivera if he had consumed any drugs or medication that evening, and Rivera replied, “no.”
“Andre was also uttering other statements [that] I could not comprehend due to slurred speech,” Officer Sears said. “It should also be noted that Andre’s other statements that were understandable were slurred as well.”
Officer Sears asked Rivera if he needed any medical assistance due to the crash and he stated “no” as well.
“Andre was presenting with no visible signs of physical injuries,” Officer Sears said. Officer Sears also noted that Rivera’s vehicle was running while he spoke with Rivera at the scene.
“I asked Andre if he had any firearms or weapons in the vehicle to which he stated ‘no,’” Officer Sears said. Later adding, “I asked Andre to step out of the vehicle to conduct standardized field sobriety tests to ensure that he was safe to operate a motor vehicle.”
Officer Sears said that Rivera was cooperative in stepping out of the vehicle but said he would not consent to any tests.
“It should be noted that while Andre was stepping out of his vehicle, he stumbled and almost tripped over the curb that was next to his vehicle,” Officer Sears said. “While Andre was standing outside of his vehicle awaiting his next instruction, he was slightly swaying his body back and forth in an apparent unvoluntary manner. It appeared obvious that Andre was unsteady on his feet.”
Offcer Sears said that after Rivera refused to consent to the standardized field sobriety tests, he was placed under arrest for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
“Andre was subsequently placed into handcuffs, which were double locked and checked for tightness,” Officer Sears said.
Andre was then searched and placed into the back right seat of Officer Sear’s cruiser.
“It should be noted that while I was walking Andre to the back of my cruiser, he was continuously unsteady on his feet,” Officer Sears said. “Throughout this entire interaction, the odor of an alcoholic beverage became much stronger when I was closer in vicinity to and talking with Andre.”
After Rivera was secured in Officer Sears’ cruiser, Officer Sears said he returned to Rivera’s vehicle to request a tow and conduct a motor vehicle inventory.
“I opened the driver’s side door of Andre’s vehicle and immediately observed a ‘Glock’ handgun resting in the center cupholder of the vehicle in plain view,” Officer Sears said. “The firearm was small and blue in color with an apparent extended magazine. The firearm was resting upside down with the trigger guard facing up. Furthermore, the firearm’s barrel was facing the passenger side of the vehicle, with the grip facing towards the driver’s side of the vehicle.”
Officer Sears said he immediately informed other officers that there was a firearm in the vehicle.
“I then closed the driver’s side door and secured the scene and firearm as I had seen for Detective Chenell to photograph accordingly for evidentiary purposes,” Officer Sears said. “Detective Chenell was able to identify the firearm as a Glock 27. The firearm was loaded with 13 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Moreover, there was no serial number located on the firearm.”
Officer Sears added that Rivera had been found guilty of possession of a firearm on June 2, 2026 in Middlesex Superior Court, making this a subsequent offense.
“Sergeant Keins and I returned to my cruiser to talk with Andre,” Officer Sears said. “We informed Andre that we had found a firearm and would be searching through the vehicle forthwith. Andre was asked if he could provide an active and valid Massachusetts LTC to which he stated ‘no.’”
Sergeant Keins then asked Westford Dispatch to conduct a CJIS query to determine whether Rivera possessed an active Massachusetts license to carry.
“Westford Dispatch confirmed that he does not. Andre was asked if there were any other weapons in the car to which he stated ‘no.’ No further questioning was conducted,” Officer Sears said. “A further search of the vehicle resulted in the findings of a prescription pill bottle inside of a sling bag on the passenger seat. The bottle was a prescription labeled for lorazepam prescribed to Andre. There were two different types of white and orange pills inside of the bottle.”
Detective Michael Barck later identified the white pills as lorazepam consistent with Rivera’s prescription and the additional 10 orange pills as Klonopin, for which Rivera did not have a prescription in his possession.
“Detective Chenell remained on scene for the police tow and to conduct a motor vehicle inventory per policy and procedure,” Officer Sears said.
Rivera was then transported to the Westford Police Department for booking.
“Andre was transported to the booking area and escorted inside,” Officer Sears said. “Andre was searched again. Andre was asked to separate his feet and bend slightly at the waist to be removed from handcuffs. The strong odor of alcohol remained present throughout this process.”
Officer Sears said officers completed a booking inventory in accordance with Westford Police Department policy and procedure.
“Sergeant Keins advised Andre of all applicable rights,” Officer Sears said. “Andre did not consent to provide a breath sample via the breath test machine. Andre’s fingerprints and pictures were taken. Due to Andre’s refusal to provide a breath sample, his driver’s license was confiscated.”
Andre Rivera, 41, of Lowell, was charged with the following violations/offenses:
- Firearm, Carry Without License, Second Offense
- Firearm, Carry without License Loaded
- Firearm, Carry without License
- Firearm, Covert/Undetectable
- Possess Large Capacity Feeding Device
Rivera was also issued a Massachusetts Uniform Citation for the following offenses:
- OUI-Liquor or .08%
- Marked Lanes Violation
In his personnel narrative, Officer Sears said Rivera was also charged with Possess Class E Drug, however, that charge was not included in the list of charges on the criminal docket for the arrest.
Rivera’s bail was set at $1,000 cash. Rivera’s sister came to the Westford Police Department and paid Rivera’s bail. Rivera was then released to his sister at 12:33 a.m.
Officer Sears added that Rivera was cooperative throughout the entire incident.
Rivera was arraigned in Ayer District Court on June 22, 2026. Following his arraignment, he was held pending a dangerousness hearing at the Commonwealth’s request. On June 26, 2026, Rivera appeared for a dangerousness hearing, during which his bail was set at $2,000 cash, with $1,000 previously posted, and the Commonwealth entered nolle prosequi on the charges of carrying a firearm without a license, second offense, and possession of a large-capacity feeding device.
On June 26, the day of Rivera’s dangerousness hearing, his sister posted the additional $1,000 cash bail, and he was released with a GPS ankle monitor under 24/7 lockdown, with exceptions only for legal and medical appointments. Rivera was also ordered to refrain from drugs and alcohol, submit to drug and alcohol testing, commit no new crimes, and possess no firearms, destructive devices or other weapons.
Rivera’s next court date is a pretrial hearing scheduled for Aug. 7, 2026.
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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