For Immediate Release: 8/12/2022 11:07 am
On August 12th 2022 at about 2:15 AM, Worcester Police officer observed a Subaru parked on a Canterbury St sidewalk. He saw a male walk up to the vehicle and throw a fanny pack inside it, before getting in and driving away. The vehicle turned on to Gardner St without stopping at the stop sign, and the officer activated his blue lights and stopped the vehicle.
The officer approached the vehicle and the operator, identified as Ralek Matthews, eighteen-years-old of Hudson St, shouted that he did not have a driver’s license. The officer noticed that Mr. Matthews was extremely nervous and one point put his hand on the shifter and talked about moving the vehicle.
Additional officers arrived on scene, and asked Mr. Matthews to step out of the vehicle. At this point, Mr. Matthews shifted the vehicle into drive and an officer grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him. Mr. Matthews began driving with the officer partially inside the vehicle. The officer was trapped between the door and the frame of the vehicle and was dragged a short distance before he was able to push himself away from the vehicle.
Officers followed the vehicle to Hudson St, where Mr. Matthews was placed into custody. Officers located a fanny pack on Gardner St, where Mr. Matthews’ vehicle had driven. Inside the fanny pack they found a loaded handgun.
Mr. Matthews does not have a license to carry firearms and is charged with Carrying a Firearm without a License, Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm, Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card, Possession of a Firearm while Committing a Felony, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon (Motor Vehicle), Improper Storage of a Firearm, Unlicensed Operation, Operating to Endanger, Failure to Stop for Police and numerous motor vehicle charges. He will be arraigned in court. The officer who was trapped in the vehicle did not suffer any serious injuries.
