By Jim Clark

While performing traffic enforcement on Monday, July 29, parked at Broadway at Kenneson Rd., a public way with a 30 mph posted speed limit, a Somerville Police officer’s attention was drawn to a vehicle that was following another car, dangerously close.

The vehicle in question was only a foot or two behind the other car. It abruptly and without signaling pulled to its right, into the other lane of traffic, and increased its speed.

The vehicle passed the other car, and pulled to its left, back into its original lane.  The rear end of the passing vehicle almost struck the front end of the other car.

Once past the other car, the vehicle increased its speed and headed eastbound on Broadway.  The officer estimated that the passing vehicle was traveling approximately 50 mph at this point.

The officer activated his blue lights and siren and the speeding vehicle stopped in the parking lot of the Speedway gas station, at 709 McGrath Highway.

I officer exited his cruiser and approached the parked vehicle. The operator was identified by a Massachusetts identification card as Richard Powers Jr. He was the only person in the vehicle.

A check of Powers’ license status showed that his right to operate was revoked for being a habitual traffic offender.

Powers was subsequently placed under arrest on charges of license revoked as HTO and reckless operation of a motor vehicle, and on warrant charges of larceny under $1200 by false pretenses, failure to wear a seatbelt, operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, and receiving stolen property over $1200.