WESTFIELD – A routine traffic stop turned into a drug bust.
The call came in at 5:39 p.m. Saturday night for a motor vehicle complaint at Hampton Ponds Plaza, located at 1029 North Road, according to police logs.
Callers were complaining of a blue 2012 Jeep Liberty Sport being operated erratically, according to Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe.
The vehicle is “all over the roadway causing a traffic hazard,” according to police logs.
After Westfield Police Officer Seth Florek located the Jeep in the plaza, he followed it onto East Mountain Road.
“I observed the vehicle not able to maintain its travel lane and cross the double yellow line on two occasions,” Florek wrote in his report.
The Jeep was pulled over on East Mountain Road just south of Andy’s variety.
The driver was identified as Westfield resident Richard A. Scorzafava, 29, who “displayed red glassy eyes and slow speech,” according to Florek’s report.
Prior to the Scorzafava taking and failing a field sobriety test, he was pat frisked.
Officers found 50 bags of heroin in Scorzafava’s front pants’ pockets and another 146 bags were found in the vehicle, according to McCabe.
Florek reported that he found a drug “ledger” with several names on it with dollar amounts next to each name in the defendant’s wallet.
Scorzafava was arrested on charges of possession with intent to distribute Class A drug (heroin), operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, possession of Class B drug (Suboxone), negligent operation of motor vehicle and marked lanes violation.
He was released on $500 cash bail after being arraigned in Westfield District Court on Monday.
Scorzafava is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on May 24.
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
