Faulty Headlight Leads to Firearms Arrest

Duxbury – October 13, 2020

On Sunday evening Duxbury Police Sergeant Andrew Homestead spotted a car, on Tremont St., with a headlight out.  The car turned onto Tobey Garden St. and Sergeant Homestead stopped the car near Tobey Garden Pond.  The operator of the car was a Male Juvenile from Randolph, MA.  Sergeant Homestead determined that his Driver’s License was under suspension.  A passenger in the vehicle (O’BRIEN, William, age 19, of Manchester by the Sea, MA) did not have an active driver’s license. O’Brien was determined to be the owner of the vehicle.  The vehicle was also found to be unregistered.  Officers Marc Maffeo and Cameron Daley arrived as backup and, while waiting for a tow truck to arrive, Officer Maffeo observed O’Brien acting very nervously and attempting to reach into a backpack in the car.  O’Brien was ordered out of the car and a loaded semi-automatic handgun was visible in the open backpack.  While handcuffing O’Brien, officers located another loaded handgun in O’Brien’s pants. Neither of the vehicle’s occupants is old enough to be licensed to carry a handgun.  O’Brien was placed under arrest and transported to the Duxbury Police station where he was held until this morning when he was brought to Plymouth District Court for arraignment on charges of Unlawful Carrying of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, Receiving Stolen Property, and several Motor Vehicle charges. The vehicle was towed form the scene and the Juvenile operator was issued a criminal summons for numerous motor vehicle charges. Computer records showed that the gun found on O’Brien‘s person was reported stolen in Mississippi and the other was stolen in Tewksbury, MA.  Detectives are continuing to investigate the origins of the weapons as well as the relevance of some other potential evidence located in the car, including identification cards and financial information which were likely stolen or illegally obtained.
 
Chief Stephen R. McDonald