What initially looked like a routine crash into a telephone pole turned into something considerably more complicated for police in Massachusetts. By the end of their investigation, officers say they had discovered three firearms, additional ammunition, and a gun with an obliterated serial number inside the vehicle.
According to the report posted to Facebook by the Hanson police, they were dispatched to the area of South Street at approximately 12:22 p.m. on September 10 following a report of a motor vehicle crash. Officers arrived to find a black Ford Explorer that had struck a telephone pole before coming to rest in the middle of the roadway.
The occupants were already outside the Explorer when officers arrived and had sustained minor injuries, according to police. Things took a turn when investigators realized the occupants’ accounts of what happened before the crash did not align.
While officers were still at the scene, Officer Whalen spotted ammunition and firearm parts sitting in the Explorer’s cup holder. Police determined that neither the vehicle’s registered owner, 36-year-old Michael Mazzarella of Halifax, nor his passenger possessed an active Massachusetts License to Carry or Firearms Identification Card.
Police Get Search Warrant After Spotting Gun Parts in Cupholder
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Police had the Explorer towed back to Hanson Police Headquarters following the discovery and obtained a warrant to search it. Detective Maliff, Officer Whalen, and Officer Regalado subsequently searched, with police noting that Regalado specializes in crime scene processing and evidence collection.
Inside the Explorer, investigators say they discovered three firearms along with additional ammunition. One of those firearms had an obliterated serial number, according to the department.
Police did not provide additional details about the three firearms or explain what specifically had been visible among the firearm parts in the cupholder. The department credited its officers with paying attention to details and “following the investigation wherever it leads” after what initially appeared to be an ordinary crash.
We also tried to search his information against Massachusetts ‘ statewide custody status tracking, as well as logs from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, but were unable to successfully locate them.
Mazzarella Faces Multiple Firearm Charges After Crash
Based on the investigation, police arrested Mazzarella and charged him with three counts of carrying a firearm without an LTC or FID. He was also charged with receiving or possessing an untraceable firearm and four counts of improper storage of a firearm.
Mazzarella additionally faces a charge of possessing ammunition without an LTC or FID, along with negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation. Hanson police did not announce charges against the passenger or provide additional information about what investigators believe caused the Explorer to crash.
What began with officers responding to a Ford Explorer wrapped up with Mazzarella facing numerous firearm and driving charges. The charges remain accusations, and Mazzarella is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.