AYER – On Monday, July 20, 2026, at approximately 11:55 a.m., Ayer Police Officer Jared Splaine was on patrol, driving behind a silver Kia Rio with Massachusetts plates from Carlton Circle onto Sandy Pond Road.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Statement of Facts of Officer Jared Splaine and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
“While traveling behind the vehicle on Sandy Pond Road, I observed it enter the safety zone by Sandy Pond Beach where the speed limit reduces to 25 mph,” Officer Splaine said. Officer Splaine said that when the vehicle passed the radar feedback sign affixed to the 25-mph speed limit sign, the radar feedback sign displayed a speed of 35 mph.
“The vehicle did not use its brakes or appear to reduce speed when passing the sign,” Officer Splaine said.
After the vehicle suddenly turned left onto Snake Hill Road, Officer Splaine said he activated the blue emergency lights atop his cruiser and initiated a motor vehicle stop at the intersection of Pierce Avenue and Snake Hill Road.
“I approached the vehicle from the passenger’s side,” Officer Splaine said. “I spoke with the operator of the vehicle, Michael [last name redacted], and informed him that his speed was the reason for the stop. Michael told me that he and his passenger were headed to the Merrimack Outlets in New Hampshire. I asked Michael if he was picking someone up on this street and he said no.”
Officer Splaine noted that Michael’s route was inconsistent with his claim that he was headed to the Merrimack Premium Outlets.
“As I spoke with Michael, I noticed that the passenger, identified as Shawn Tollis, was visibly shaking,” Officer Splaine said. “I noticed the fabric of Shawn’s tank top twitching slightly in a rhythmic manner as if his heart was beating so hard that is was causing his shirt to shake.”
According to police, Shawn S. Tollis, 34, is a resident of Clinton, MA.
“Shawn was not wearing his seat belt upon my approach,” Officer Splaine said. “I requested identification from both parties. Shawn reached deep under his crotch and retrieved his wallet with visible effort, then produced his MA [Massachusetts] state ID.”
Officer Splaine said Tollis’ hands were trembling as he retrieved and produced his identification.
“Michael produced a Florida license without delay,” Officer Splaine said. “Michael also provided a rental agreement for the Kia, which shows that he had picked up the vehicle at 8:00 a.m. this morning with a scheduled return of July 27.”
Officer Splaine returned to his cruiser and ran the IDs of both individuals.
“Based upon Shawn’s nervous demeanor and Michael’s implausible explanation of their travel, I contacted Officer [Michael] Nicolo and requested he respond to the scene to assist,” Officer Splaine said.
Officer Splaine said that after Officer Nicolo arrived, the officers approached the vehicle together, with Officer Nicolo on the passenger’s side and Officer Splaine on the driver’s side.
“I asked Michael to explain his travel once more, and his relationship to Shawn,” Officer Splaine said. “I then overheard Officer Nicolo say to Shawn, ‘What was that?’ Shawn then appeared to be manipulating a loose item of clothing between his feet.”
Officer Splaine said Officer Nicolo then ordered Tollis to stop, and opened the passenger side door.
“Officer Nicolo reached into the loose clothing on the floor and retrieved what appeared to be a plastic bag containing a white powdered substance, which was secured with a binder clip and a cut portion of plastic drinking straw tucked within,” Officer Splaine said. Adding, “The substance was believed to be powdered cocaine, and the straw was believed to be attached for the purpose of insufflation. Officer Nicolo then ordered Shawn out of the vehicle.”
Officer Splaine said he assisted Officer Nicolo in removing Tollis from the vehicle without incident.
Officer Splaine then handcuffed Tollis, conducted a search of his person for additional contraband, and placed him in the rear of a cruiser for transport.
“Officer Nicolo then removed Michael from the driver’s seat and detained him in handcuffs,” Officer Splaine said. “Sergeant [Brent] Davis then notified us via radio that he would be responding to assist.”
Officer Splaine read Tollis his Miranda rights from a card he carries on his person and asked him what was in the bag.
“Shawn told me it was powdered cocaine,” Officer Splaine said. “I asked Shawn if I would find additional narcotics in the vehicle if I searched it. Shawn told me that there shouldn’t be anything else in the car.”
Officer Splaine said he then Mirandized Michael in the same manner.
“Michael told me that he was unaware of Shawn’s narcotics possession and asked that we search the vehicle to ensure there was no more contraband,” Officer Splaine said. “Sergeant Davis then arrived and I briefed him on the situation to this point.”
Officer Nicolo then began a probable cause search of the vehicle for additional narcotics.
“Officer Nicolo located an opened plastic corner baggie in Shawn’s wallet containing a white, rocklike substance that I recognized as crack cocaine based upon my training and experience,” Officer Splaine said. “Officer Nicolo then located a Sour Patch candy tube within a black drawstring backpack found in the backseat behind the driver’s seat.”
Upon opening the Sour Patch candy tube, Officer Nicolo discovered nine additional tied-off corner baggies containing a white, rocklike substance, that Officer Splaine recognized as crack cocaine.
“Officer Nicolo, Sergeant Davis, and I each questioned Michael and Shawn separately as to the ownership of the black drawstring backpack,” Officer Splaine said. “Shawn initially denied ownership of the bag when I asked him. Shawn then later admitted to Sergeant Davis that the bag belonged to him.”
Officer Splaine said he later asked Tollis where he got the bags of crack cocaine.
“Shawn said his friend gave them to him, and gave him one baggie for free for his own use in exchange for holding onto the drugs for him,” Officer Splaine said. “Shawn told me that he intended to return the rest of the nine unopened bags of crack cocaine to his friend later tonight or tomorrow.”
The officers seized all of the suspected narcotics.
“Michael was released with a verbal warning for speed and a seatbelt violation, and took possession of the vehicle,” Officer Splaine said.
Officer Splaine then transported Tollis to the police station, where he was booked by Sergeant Davis and Detective Jake Minear.
“Following booking, after Mirandizing Shawn, Detective Minear asked Shawn if he was authorized by law to distribute Class B controlled substances. Shawn said he was not,” Officer Splaine said.
Officer Splaine said that he weighed the narcotics together, and the combined weight was 11.65 grams. He said each tied-off baggie containing suspected crack cocaine weighed approximately 1 gram.
“There were nine total tied baggies of suspected crack cocaine, one opened baggie of the same, and one baggie of powdered cocaine in total,” Officer Splaine said. “I tested samples of the substances seized with a Sirchie NARK Cocaine ID Swipe, which returned a presumptive positive result for cocaine and/or cocaine base.”
All of the narcotics were entered into evidence.
Shawn S. Tollis, 34, of Clinton, was charged with the following:
- Possess with Intent to Distribute Class B Drug
- Possess Class B Drug
Tollis was arraigned in Ayer District Court on July 20, 2026. Following his arraignment, he was released on personal recognizance. Tollis attended a pretrial hearing on Aug. 21, 2026.
Tollis’ next court date is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2026.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in July, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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