WESTPORT — An attempted traffic stop in Westport early Friday morning led to a pursuit and confrontation with a knife-wielding Fall River man.

Westport Officer Jeremy Dellecese was on patrol in the vicinity of Old County Road in the early morning hours of May 8 when he spotted a Nissan Frontier pickup truck operating in this area, Westport Police report.  The officer had previously seen this vehicle in the same area, at a similar early hour, and knew that the registered owner was not driving the vehicle.  

Checks into the registered owner of the vehicle revealed two police reports by the Fall River Police Department.  Those incidents identified the operator of the vehicle to be the owner’s son, Jamie Melo, 39 of 127 Winthrop Street Fall River.  Officer Dellecese also discovered that Mr.  Melo had an active warrant for his arrest after fleeing from Fall River Police on February 28.

Detective Sergeant Christopher Dunn said that around 2 a.m., Officer Dellecese tried to conduct a motor vehicle stop as the pickup was eastbound on Old County Road, but he reported that the vehicle quickly turned around in the driveway of a home and accelerated west on Old County Road.  

The vehicle then entered Route 88 north at a high rate of speed and Officer Dellecese notified other officers.  Sergeant Bryan McCarthy took a post at the intersection at Route 88 and Briggs Road where he deployed “stop sticks” before the vehicle passed through the intersection.  Both front tires were deflated but the vehicle continued onto Route 195 west.  

Massachusetts State Police and Fall River Police joined the pursuit as the vehicle continued into Fall River eventually coming to rest in the driveway of the operator’s residence on Winthrop Street.  

Detective Dunn said that Officer Dellecese approached the driver and saw him reach beneath the seat and come up with a black knife.

Officer Dellecese used his department-issued electronic control weapon and, while the deployment was successful, Mr. Melo was able to maintain control of the knife and placed it to his neck while still seated in the vehicle.

Fall River Police Sergeant Brett Kimball and Officer Paul Furtado, who said they had a rapport with Mr. Melo, began negotiating with him and, after around 15 minutes, were able to convince him to drop the knife and he was taken into custody.

Mr. Melo was transported to Saint Anne’s Hospital for evaluation, released and subsequently transported to Bristol County House of Corrections.

In addition to being arrested for a warrant, he is being charged with failure to stop for police, driving with a suspended license (subsequent offense), and reckless driving.

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