By Jim Clark

As a marked police patrol unit proceeded down Medford street last Thursday, the officer spotted a vehicle on the road that appeared to contain failed inspection and that the occupants of the car were not wearing seat belts.

A query on the vehicle confirmed that it had failed inspection in April and that a re-inspection had not yet taken place.

The officer pulled the vehicle over and, as he approached the car, he reportedly noticed the passenger, John Ritchie, 23, of Westwood, attempting to fasten his seat belt.

The officer asked for identification from both the driver and Ritchie, as well as the vehicles registration, which was handed over.

Returning to his cruiser, the officer ran a query of the driver and Ritchie. As he did so, the officer noticed that as the two men were talking Ritchie was reportedly reaching for something in front of him.

Returning to the car, the officer reportedly asked Ritchie what he was doing, and Ritchie  in turn replied that he wasn’t doing anything.

The officer informed the two men that he could smell fresh marijuana coming from the vehicle’s interior after the window had come down.

Ritchie reportedly admitted that he did have some marijuana, saying, “I have a roach I was about to smoke.”

The officer was then presented with the small butt end of the marijuana cigarette that Ritchie had mentioned, according to reports, and the officer asked if that was all he had. Ritchie reportedly replied, “No, I have a little more in my bag.”

Ritchie then reportedly produced a backpack from behind his legs and removed a small mason jar containing more marijuana. He was again asked by the officer if that was all the marijuana he had, at which time he reportedly began looking down at his backpack and breathing heavily.

After calling for back up, the officer asked Ritchie if he could look through the backpack. Ritchie reportedly told the officer, “Yeah, go ahead.”

The officer then took the bag, and also reportedly noted while Ritchie opened the passenger side door of the vehicle that a stack of currency was on the armrest, amounting to $146, along with a wallet.

The officer reportedly found a larger mason jar filled with marijuana, a digital scale, and several plastic baggies in Ritchie’s backpack.

At that time the officer reportedly read Ritchie his Miranda rights, then asked him how much marijuana he had. Ritchie reportedly answered, “A few ounces.” He then indicated that he didn’t wish to say anything more.

Ritchie was then placed under arrest and charged with drug violation near a school and drug possession to distribute.