Man who allegedly fled scene of overdose faces drug, weapons charges

WOONSOCKET – A Johnston man is held at the state prison after police intercepted him at the scene of a drug overdose with weapons and cocaine in his possession on Sunday.

Matthew McLaughlin, 36, of 1411 Plainfield Pike, was arrested near the old Woonsocket Middle School at about 5:30 p.m. after they saw him attempting to revive an unresponsive male who did not appear to be breathing and whose skin was “turning blue,” according to police reports. McLaughlin allegedly disobeyed orders to remain at the scene, running off as officers tended to the ailing man lying on the ground – apparently saving his life.

Moments later, police confronted McLaughlin as he attempted to enter a car parked nearby with his wallet and ID in it. Inside the vehicle, police said they found an air-powered pellet pistol; ammunition for the weapon; pepper spray; and a glassine bag containing 2.5 grams of cocaine. When they attempted to question McLaughlin, he allegedly gave police a false name and date of birth.

He was also in possession of a knife with a blade in excess of three inches, the legal limit, the police said.

McLaughlin was charged with obstructing police and possession of prohibited weapons. It’s unclear why, but the police reports do not indicate that he was charged with a drug offense – but it may be because he was transferred from police custody to Landmark Medical Center before investigators confirmed the white powder found in his vehicle was cocaine.

After he was taken into custody, police reports say, McLaughlin was screaming

in his cell that he wanted to commit suicide and he was transferred to the hospital.

McLaughlin claimed to have shown up near the Park Place school after a friend called him for help because he was overdosing. But police reports say the overdose was never reported to dispatch – they were investigating a report of a “man down” when they encountered the unidentified male on the ground as McLaughlin was attempting to perform chest compressions on the victim.

Police reports say the overdose victim resumed breathing after they gave him a blast of the overdose reversal drug Narcan via nasal aerosol. The man was later transferred to LMC, where doctors later informed police the victim had made a full recovery. Sgt. Jesse Nunnemacher and Officers Robert Frye, Garrett Lambert and Justin Ryel were among those who responded to the scene to render aid to the victim and capture McLaughlin.

None of the new charges McLaughlin faces caused him to be transferred to the Adult Correctional Institutions. But the judiciary’s website says he was already ordered held without bail – twice – after failing to appear for hearings associated with an open drug-trafficking case originating out of Warwick. In July, the judiciary’s website says, McLaughlin was charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver on four separate occasions between Sept. 21 and Oct. 29 of 2020.

McLaughlin failed to appear for pre-trial hearings in that case on Nov. 11 and again on Dec. 6, the judiciary’s database says.