Nathan Bernard, 40, of 6 Underhill St., Nashua

By DEAN SHALHOUP

Senior Staff Writer

NASHUA – Arrested Aug. 26 and charged with possessing drugs after police pulled over the bicycle he was riding “to address multiple city ordinance violations,” Nashua resident Nathan Bernard was booked on three felony counts of possession of a controlled drug and later released on personal recognizance bail.

Now, Bernard, 40, of 6 Underhill St., is in jail awaiting Monday’s scheduled arraignment on a new set of charges, the result of his arrest over the weekend in connection with the theft of a vehicle from a local business, police said.

They said officers took the car-theft report on the morning of Sept. 4, and were told the vehicle was stolen sometime during the night.

Early that afternoon, police said, witnesses flagged down a patrol officer after seeing the stolen vehicle “in the area of East Hollis Street,” police said. The witnesses reportedly told police there were three males in the car at the time.

Officers ultimately located the vehicle, but all three occupants fled the area, police said.

Detectives with the department’s Criminal Investigation Division were called in, and through their investigation were able to identify the three men, and determined that Bernard was the driver.

They issued a warrant for Bernard’s arrest on a Class A felony count of receiving stolen property, police said.

A week later, police said officers located Bernard and took him into custody without incident. They charged him with the receiving offense, then added two counts of possession of a controlled drug – subsequent offense, also Class A felonies, after discovering Bernard was allegedly carrying narcotic drugs after having been convicted of a drug-related charge, police said.

Bernard was held on $500 cash bail pending Monday’s arraignment and bail hearing at Hillsborough County Superior Court South.

As for Bernard’s August arrest, police said officers who pulled over his bicycle on Temple Street were discussing his alleged “multiple city ordinance violations” with him when they noticed “a plastic bag protruding from his pocket.”

They said Bernard removed the bag and allegedly admitted that it contained methamphetamine. He was arrested and taken to headquarters for booking, at which time, police said, Bernard was allegedly found to also have a quantity of heroin/fentanyl on him, along with three pills that police said were identified as buprenorphone hydrochloride, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, but is illegal to possess without a prescription.

Police didn’t indicate whether Bernard has been arraigned on those charges, but if not, it’s possible the charges will be addressed during Monday’s scheduled arraignment on the new charges.

Meanwhile, police ask anyone who may have additional information on the cases to call the department’s Crime Line at 589-1665.

They also urge residents who have information concerning illegal drug activity to call the department’s Narcotics Hotline at 594-3597 or go to www.nashuapd.com.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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