Man dies in custody after sobriety checkpoint stop (Made "furtive movements" & fled arrest)

[Bluebear]

A Webster man died in police custody early Thanksgiving Day, about an hour after he allegedly scuffled with officers who had stopped the car he was traveling in at a sobriety checkpoint in North Andover...

Blodgett said state and North Andover police and members of the Essex sheriff’s department were holding a sobriety checkpoint on Route 114 in North Andover Wednesday when a car carrying Howe approached, just before midnight.

A State Police trooper allegedly saw Howe, the front-seat passenger, making furtive movements. When the trooper asked him to step out of the car, Howe allegedly jumped out the window, hit the trooper, and fled. Blodgett said he was arrested after a short foot chase and struggle. He was charged with assault and battery on a police officer.

Another passenger in the car allegedly told police that Howe had lighted a marijuana cigarette before the checkpoint and that he was trying to extinguish it.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/11/28/webster_man_dies_in_custody_after_sobriety_checkpoint_stop/