Altercation with Bicyclist Leads to Marijuana Bust for Motorist

A fight between a bicyclist and a motorist led to a drug citation for one of the men, according to Needham police.

Police were called to the Rte. 128 section of Highland Ave. on June 3 for a report of a fight between two men. Upon arrival, officers found a motorist and a bicyclist "standing face to face and yelling at each other," according to reports, before police separated them.

The altercation allegedly took place, according to the cyclist, when the motorist turned onto the off ramp before slamming on his breaks. The breaking, said the cyclist, caused him to nearly crash his bike, so he began yelling at the man.

The motorist, meanwhile, stated that he attempted to pass the biker before turning onto the highway, but the cyclist sped up pass him, causing the motorist to hit the breaks. After the motorist stopped, he said that the cyclist began yelling at him, creating the conflict.

While the two parties were speaking with police, the motorist's car was left unattended, almost in the middle of the intersection. When speaking with the motorist, Officer Timothy Dooher recognized a "strong odor" on unburned marijuana in the vicinity. A search of the man's car yielded "bits of marijuana scattered throughout the vehicle," as well as a plastic bag containing small amount of marijuana, located behind the front passenger's seat.

The motorist, a 42-year-old Burlington man, was cited for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. He was additionally cited for failure to use care in passing while driving.