On Saturday, November 1, 2025, at approximately 12:55 AM, I, Officer Richard Lavey III, was working car West 7 when I was dispatched to 72 Professors Row for the report of a car accident. Several Tufts and Medford Police Officers were on scene prior to my arrival, Officers Dell'Isola, Prophete, and Sergeant Scrugli responded as backup.

Upon arrival, I noticed a vehicle (NH REG# XXXX) partially in the lane of travel and partially on the shoulder of the road, both of which were public ways maintained by the City of Somerville. There were three occupants of this vehicle, later identified as Nyla MERCADO, XXXX, and XXXX. The front passenger side wheel of the vehicle was crooked and appeared almost completely disconnected from the axle, the vehicle was very obviously not drive-able. There were also several bystanders upon my arrival, two of whom were identified as XXXX and XXXX. None of the three occupants were in the driver's seat at the time of my arrival. MERCADO was in the front passenger seat while XXXX and XXXX were in the back seat. I knocked on the door of the front passenger seat to speak to MERCADO and she appeared to be intoxicated. I could smell alcoholic beverages, her eyes appeared glossy and her speech was slurred. I asked her if this was her car, referring to NH REG# XXXX, and she stated it was her car. Before I could ask her anything else, MERCADO told me she was driving her car when someone struck her vehicle. MERCADO did not know who struck her vehicle and repeatedly stated "I don't know what happened." Though MERCADO already told me she was driving NH REG# XXXX, I asked her again if she was driving when the accident happened, MERCADO reiterated she was in fact driving during the time of the collision.

At this time, a Tufts Police Officer informed me an assault had also occurred, the victim being XXXX, and the suspect being a passenger of NH REG# XXXX. I walked over to speak to XXXX but while trying to get XXXX account of the events MERCADO had walked back to the driver's side of the vehicle, started the car and attempted to drive away. The vehicle was still located on the same public way. I could tell MERCADO was pressing the accelerator pedal because the noise the engine made, but it appeared the vehicle was still in park. I walked over to the driver's side door and instructed MERCADO to shut the car off. I asked MERCADO why she started the car and she stated "I wanted to see if I could drive it." At this point I asked MERCADO to exit the vehicle and walk with me to the passenger side of the vehicle. Once we were at the passenger side of the vehicle, I told MERCADO to look at the extensive damage to the front passenger tire. I asked her if she knew about this damage and she affirmed she knew about the damage and started telling me again how she was driving when someone struck her car and she didn't know who it was.

At this point I instructed MERCADO to follow me to a well-lit section of side walk that was even and unobstructed. I told MERCADO I suspected her of operating under the influence and informed her I would like to perform several tests to confirm or dispel my suspicions. I asked MERCADO if she would submit to these tests and MERCADO stated she would take the tests. The first field sobriety test I performed was the horizontal gaze nystagmus test. Throughout the test MERCADO seemed uneasy on her feet and was swaying back and forth. I instructed MERCADO to follow my finger with her eyes and only her eyes. MERCADO stated she is not wearing contact lenses. MERCADO stated she does not have any medical conditions affecting her eye but occasionally gets allergies. MERCADO did not exhibit resting nystagmus and her pupils were equal in size. MERCADO eyes jumped as she attempted to follow my finger, she did not maintain smooth pursuit in either eye. Next I tested for distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation. MERCADO exhibited sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation in both eyes. Lastly I tested for onset of nystagmus prior to forty-five degrees. MERCADO exhibited onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees in both eyes during the two tests I conducted for each eye. This concluded the horizontal gaze nystagmus test.

The next test I performed was the walk and turn test. MERCADO and I were still on the even, well-lit, and unobstructed sidewalk for this test. I instructed MERCADO not to start until I said "go ahead." I instructed MERCADO to walk one foot after another in a straight line while counting the number of steps. I instructed MERCADO to take nine steps before turning around and taking nine more steps while counting each step aloud. I instructed MERCADO to keep her arms at her side throughout the tests and to turn making a series of small steps once she took nine steps. I demonstrated each instruction to MERCADO as I explained it and asked her if she understood. MERCADO affirmed she understood the instructions. MERCADO was wearing boots that were adequate for this walking test, and I asked MERCADO if she was okay to walk in the boots she was wearing to which she stated she was okay to perform the test in the boots she was wearing. I then said "go ahead" to indicate MERCADO should begin the test and MERCADO replied by saying "okay I'm just waiting for you to tell me to begin." At this point I reiterated to MERCADO she could begin the test. MERCADO began by walking silently, without counting. Once MERCADO got to the fifth step, she began counting at three, out of sync with her steps. MERCADO got to the ninth step at the same time she counted to nine but without matching each number to a step. MERCADO turned around properly and walked back. She counted too quietly for me to hear her on the way back until step eight where she counted "eight, nine, ten" for her eighth, ninth and tenth step on the way back respectively. MERCADO still appeared unsteady on her feet throughout the test but was able to complete the test without her feet breaking apart. This concluded the walk and turn test.

The final test I performed on MERCADO was the one leg stand test. MERCADO and I were on the same even, unobstructed, and well-lit sidewalk and MERCADO was wearing the same boots she had on during the previous test. I instructed MERCADO to stand with her hands by her side and lift one foot approximately six inches off of the ground. I told MERCADO she could use either foot. I told MERCADO to count "one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi" etc. while she was raising her foot until I instructed her to stop the test. I instructed MERCADO to begin and MERCADO raised her right leg without counting. During the 30 second test MERCADO had to put her foot down four times. MERCADO also had to sway in order to keep her balance. This concluded the standard field sobriety tests I conducted on MERCADO.

At this time MERCADO was placed under arrest for OUI Liquor.  I then went back to XXXX and XXXX to find out what happened regarding the assault. XXXX stated he saw MERCADO crash her car, NH REG# XXXX, into a parked car (MA REG# XXXX). XXXX stated at this point he and XXXX approached the car to see if everyone was alright. XXXX asked the three passengers MERCADO, XXXX, and XXXX if they wanted him to call 9-1-1 for help. XXXX stated MERCADO told him not to call 9-1-1 because she was drunk and then XXXX, agitated by the prospect of having 9-1-1 called began to attack XXXX. According to both XXXX and XXXX independently at different times, XXXX grabbed XXXX by her hair and struck her twice with a closed fist on the head. XXXX stated he separated XXXX and XXXX then called 9-1-1.  The parked car, MA REG# XXXX, had a large amount of damage to the rear driver's side bumper and tire congruent with the damage one would expect based off the damage on NH REG# XXXX.

It should be noted when identifying XXXX she refused to give her name or date of birth so her name was obtained from her friends, they could not provide her date of birth. XXXX was extremely intoxicated throughout my interaction with her and unwilling to speak. Due to her level of intoxication, the lack of anyone to take care of her, and her involvement in a car crash, XXXX was placed in protective custody at Cambridge Hospital. I later called Cambridge Hospital to see if they could get any demographic information from her but they could not. Officers attempted to get XXXX a taxi to her house in New Hampshire, but the taxi company was unwilling to accommodate this request. Per XXXX request, she was transported to the Somerville Police Department by Officer Prophete.

Since NH REG# XXXX was not drive-able and was obstructing the road way, it was towed. While taking inventory for the tow, two open containers of alcohol were found, they will be logged as evidence. Both containers of alcohol appeared to be more than half empty.

MERCADO was arrested for OUI Liquor First Offense and booked in the usual manor by Lt. Rico Isodoro where she refused to take the breathalyzer test. If I am able to determine XXXX demographic information to a degree that allows me to identify the correct person I will file a criminal complaint. MERCADO was released on personal recognizance at 5:20 AM on November 1, 2025. Citation T1830908 was filed for MERCADO for OUI Liquor.

Respectfully submitted,

Officer Richard Lavey III #365

Somerville Police Dept.