Two people charged after traffic stop leads to a firearm seizure
Two people were arrested, and a firearm was seized by RCMP officers during a traffic stop on Hwy. 12 near Lunenburg.
On June 28, at approximately 1:50 a.m., officers on proactive patrols from the Lunenburg RCMP Detachment came across a vehicle stopped on the roadway. The officers completed a traffic stop to confirm the safety of the occupants and found two people asleep in the vehicle with the engine running. Beer cans and a firearm were observed inside the vehicle.
The driver and passenger were both safely arrested, and the loaded shotgun was seized. The driver of the vehicle was transported to the Lunenburg RCMP Detachment where he provided breath samples that registered 150mg% and 140 mg%.
“We all know the safety risks that come with impaired driving, and adding a firearm to this situation made it much more dangerous,” says S/Sgt. Dave Ferguson, Lunenburg District RCMP Commander. “Public safety was the main priority for the officers involved, from the initial check on the vehicle’s occupants to safely seizing the firearm and preventing the driver from continuing to operate the car while impaired.”
The driver, Kegan Melvin, 21, of Martins Point, is charged with Impaired Operation of a Conveyance, Unsafe Storage of a Firearm, and Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle. The passenger, Hunter Rafuse, 21, of Bridgewater, is charged with Unsafe Storage of a Firearm and Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle. Both were released from custody and will appear in Bridgewater Provincial Court at a later date.
