Dartmouth Police Arrest New Bedford Man on Drugs, Motor Vehicle Charges

DARTMOUTH — Dartmouth Police have arrested a New Bedford man after they say he fled from an officer in a stolen vehicle and was found to have fentanyl and cocaine in his possession.

On Tuesday, May 11 at about 9:30 p.m., police say Officer Andrew Fredette spotted a 2005 Honda Pilot driving erratically on State Road. He ran the plate and discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Fall River. When he attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled.

Officer Matthew Correia then spotted the vehicle, now unoccupied, in a parking lot off State Road, and police say Correia saw a man walking close to it; they say after he noticed Officer Correia, the man fled across State Road and attempted to hide behind a tree near the former Sears Automotive building.

Officers took the man – identified as Derren Almeida, 32, of New Bedford – into custody, and they say they discovered approximately 100 grams of suspected fentanyl and approximately 40 grams of suspected cocaine in his possession.

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Almeida is charged with trafficking fentanyl, trafficking cocaine, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, operating with a suspended license (subsequent offense), and speeding. Police say he also had four outstanding warrants for his arrest.

“As a result of this coordinated effort, both a dangerous individual and a large quantity of deadly narcotics were taken out of circulation, thus making the streets a bit safer, while also possibly saving countless lives,” Dartmouth Police Chief Brian Levesque said. “I could not be prouder of my officers and Communications personnel.”