By Jim Clark

A Somerville Police officer traveling eastbound on Somerville Ave. last Sunday evening pulled behind a vehicle stopped at the traffic signal at the intersection of Somerville Ave. and Prospect St. in the left turn only lane with the left blinker on.

The officer, who also intended to turn left, observed that after about five seconds of the traffic signal being red, the vehicle in front began to slowly enter and go through the intersection continuing straight onto Somerville Ave.

The officer activated their emergency lights and checked both directions before going through the intersection. Two individuals on bicycles were traveling North on Prospect St. towards Washington St.

After the two individuals went through the intersection, the officer continued straight onto Somerville Ave. behind the suspect vehicle, which was traveling on the wrong side of the double yellow lines at about fifteen miles per hour.

As this vehicle and the officer passed Merriam St., the vehicle travelled back onto the correct side of the double yellow lines and the officer updated dispatch via the radio of their location and the attempt to pull over the vehicle that continued traveling at around fifteen miles per hour.

The intersection of Somerville Ave. and McGrath Highway was also red with a queue of several cars preventing the vehicle from traveling any further. At this point vehicle pulled over to the right side of the road in front of Target and the officer updated police dispatch with their current location. A back up arrived shortly after dispatch was updated.

The officers approached the driver, later identified as Brian Soares, of Cambridge, who was still in his vehicle.

Soares was asked if he knew why he was stopped. He reportedly appeared very nervous and only said, “I’m sorry.”

The reporting officer informed Soares that he was being stopped for a red light violation and a marked lanes violation. Soares was asked for his ID and he informed the officers that all of the forms of identification he owns are currently at his house.

Soares was asked for his name and date of birth and he told the officers his name was Brian Soares and gave his date of birth.

The information Soares provided was put into a query on the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). No results appeared for a driver’s license with the name and date of birth.

The Warrant Management System (WMS) had one warrant with the name Brian Soares and the corresponding date of birth.

At this point Soares was told to step out of his vehicle and was placed under arrest on a charge of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and on warrant charges of uninsured motor vehicle or trailer, unregistered motor vehicle, possession/use of a false RMV document, and number plate violation.

Soares stated the vehicle belongs to his friend. It was towed away and the registered owner was notified via phone of how he could pick up his vehicle.