By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to La Quinta Hotel in the early morning hours of Monday this week on a report of a check-condition.

Upon arrival, the officers spoke with the reporting party, who stated that he had seen a car with a Florida registration speeding through the hotel parking lot as well as revving the engine.

The reporting party further stated that he did not want to receive any complaints from guests of the hotel, which is why he called the police and requested that officers remove the vehicle and operator from the parking lot.

The officers searched the hotel parking lot and found the car in question with the engine running in the middle of the parking lot. The operator, later identified as Robert Ortiz, was slumped over the wheel. There was also a hammer and a long metal pipe in the center console area.

The officers knocked on the window to get Ortiz’s attention, at which time he woke up and appeared to be confused. He then reached his right hand in between the center console and the seat, and officers asked him to show both hands, but he refused to comply.

Ortiz was asked several times to show his hands and he reportedly punched the driver’s side window and then rolled it down. It was at this time that an officer unlocked the driver’s side door and opened it.

Ortiz continued to reach around the vehicle after officers asked him to step out, so he was unbuckled and pulled out.

The officers explained to Ortiz that they were performing a community caretaking function to ensure he did not need medical attention and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The status of Ortiz’s driver’s license revealed that he had an active driver’s license and an outstanding warrant out of Boston District Court.

During a search of the vehicle, the officers found a white, rocky substance believed to be crack cocaine in a clear plastic bag inside the cup holder between the driver and passenger seats. The preliminary weight of the substance with packaging was 13.5 grams.

Ortiz was placed under arrest on a charge of possession of a class B drug, and on warrant charges of possession of a class B drug and carrying a dangerous weapon.

Police transported the confiscated rocky substance back to the station, where it was photographed and entered into evidence.