Newport Police Seize Loaded Glock Handgun & Remington Rifle in Early Morning Traffic Stop

NEWPORT, RI — Police seized a loaded Glock and a shotgun during a 2:36 a.m. traffic stop at Girard Avenue and Coddington Highway. Two men are facing weapons charges.

Christian D. McCarthy, 22, of Tiverton, was charged with carrying a weapon (a handgun) while intoxicated and carrying a pistol without a license or permit, both felonies. He was the passenger in a car driven by Randall M. Rua, 30, of Middletown.

Rua was charged with possession of a firearm (a shotgun) by a convict, which is a felony, and with obstruction of an officer, a misdemeanor. He was also cited with a traffic violation for driving on a suspended license.

Police said they saw Rua driving too close to the car ahead of him while traveling north on Connell Highway near Maple Avenue. He then passed the slower car on the left and crossed over the double yellow line. The patrol officer flashed his emergency lights, but Rua did not stop immediately. He turned on Girard Avenue and then stopped, police said.

The officer saw him put his hand near the console. Rua appear to be reaching for something or attempting to hide something. Through the driver's side window, the officer was able to see there was also a male passenger, who seemed to be asleep, inside the vehicle.

Rua gave police a false name, but police were able to determine he was, in fact, Randall Rua. Rua's license was suspended on Dec. 9.

He told police they were driving to a friend's home in the Festival Field apartments, where they were going to spend the night.

Because he initially saw Rua trying to reach or hide something, the officer told them he wanted to search them and the car. One officer was dealing with Rua, and the other was dealing with McCarthy.

Rua told police he didn't have anything of concern in the car, but when police began the search, McCarthy said, "I have a gun."

The officer shouted, "Gun," and he took it and placed it on the hood of the car.

McCarthy appeared to be intoxicated, police said. He was carrying the Glock handgun tucked in his pants on his right hip.

Rua then told the other officer he did have a shotgun in the rear truck of the SUV.

McCarthy told police they had been at a party in Taunton and decided to spend the night at Festival Field. The police said that statement seemed "strange" because McCarthy lives in Tiverton, and it would have been on the way from Taunton. Also, although both suspects know the area, Rua did not turn on Maple as anyone would to go to Festival Field apartments.

Police said they found the pistol-grip shotgun in the rear of the SUV under a winter snowsuit. They also found a small plastic baggie with eight 9 mm Luger rounds.

At the police station, detectives took photos of the Remington 870 shotgun and case and the box of 12-gauge, 1-ounce slugs and 12-gauge buckshot. They also photographed the 9 mm Glock with the loaded magazine of 14 rounds.