SOMERSET — On Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, at approximately 6:21 a.m., a motorist contacted the Somerset Police Department to report that they were driving on Wilbur Avenue behind a red Acura that was “all over the road.”
According to Somerset Police Chief William Tedford, the reporting party stayed on the phone with dispatch and provided the Acura’s license plate as well as updates on the landmarks they were passing so police could locate the vehicle.
“As the caller continued speaking with the dispatcher, he stated the Acura had driven in the wrong lane and had almost struck another vehicle,” Chief Tedford said.
The caller continued to follow the Acura as it traveled west on G.A.R. Highway (Route 6). When the Acura stopped at a red light at the intersection of G.A.R. Highway and Lees River Avenue, Somerset Police Officer Stephens Lima pulled in behind it and the reporting party’s vehicle.
“Officer Lima noted that the Acura remained stopped for a long period of time even when the traffic signal turned green,” Chief Tedford said. “Seeing this, Officer Lima activated his cruiser lights in order to stop the vehicle. After the vehicle pulled to the side of the road, almost striking the curb, Officer Lima approached and spoke with the driver of the Acura, identified as Stevenson DeSauguste.”
According to police, Stevenson DeSauguste, 41, is a resident of North Reading, Massachusetts.
“Officer Lima made observations that led him to believe that DeSauguste was under the influence of alcohol and had been smoking marijuana shortly before being stopped,” Chief Tedford said.
Officer Lima asked DeSauguste to exit the vehicle in order to perform standardized field sobriety tests. DeSauguste agreed and exited the vehicle.
Chief Tedford said that Officer Lima, who was now assisted by Officers Christopher Rodrigues and Lance Rhodes, continued his investigation and ultimately placed DeSauguste under arrest for operating under the influence of liquor.
Officer Lima transported DeSauguste to the police station for booking, while the other officers remained with the Acura until it was towed.
“When a vehicle is being impounded by the Somerset Police Department following an arrest, officers are required by department policy to conduct an inspection of the vehicle and to inventory personal property and belongings left inside the vehicle,” Chief Tedford said. “Officer Rodrigues was conducting an inventory of the vehicle when he noticed a folded white t-shirt on the floor immediately behind the driver’s seat. When he opened the t-shirt, he discovered a loaded .380ACP [Automatic Colt Pistol] caliber semi-automatic pistol concealed within the layers.”
Officer Rodrigues secured the handgun as evidence and notified Officer Lima, who was booking DeSauguste at the police station.
After the inventory check of the Acura was completed, the vehicle was removed from the scene by the on-call tow service, Chief Tedford said.
Stevenson DeSauguste, 41, of North Reading, was charged with the following:
- Operating Under the Influence of Liquor
- Carrying a Loaded Firearm Without a License
- Possession of Ammunition Without an FID Card
After he was booked at the Somerset Police Department, DeSauguste was transported to the Bristol County Sheriff’s Department Regional Lockup located at Ash Street in New Bedford, where he will be held without bail until his arraignment in Fall River District Court on Monday, August 31, 2026.
