NORWOOD – What began as a routine traffic stop quickly turned into a foot chase and drug arrest after a vehicle with an expired inspection sticker was pulled over near a Dean Street pizzeria, police say.
According to Norwood Police Department dispatch logs, the incident began at 8:36 PM on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, when Officer Sean Kelly allegedly initiated a motor vehicle stop on a pickup truck with Massachusetts registration 7BJB23. The stop took place directly outside Stash’s Pizza, located at 254 Dean Street.
The situation escalated when, police say a passenger unexpectedly bolted from the car, fleeing directly into the nearby neighborhood.
With a suspect on the loose, backup officers flooded the area drawing a total of eight officers to the scene to secure the area and search the tree line.
While the second individual managed to evade immediate capture in the woods, officers successfully detained the driver.
Police identified the man in custody as Andrew L. Sinclair, 41, of 55 Holman Road in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Police say after a search of the vehicle, Sinclair was charged with several traffic offenses as well as the criminal charge of possession of a Class A substance (a category under Massachusetts law that includes high-potency narcotics such as heroin and fentanyl). Sinclair allegedly also had three active, outstanding arrest warrants.
Police have not yet released a description or identity of the passenger who fled into the woods, and the incident remains under active investigation.
Sinclair was booked under arrest log number 26NWD-196-AR and is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Norwood Police will not release a copy of the report since the charges are pending in court. Police Chief Padden did not respond to our request for comment. -RD
