NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — A New Bedford man was convicted recently of assaulting police following a moped stop and sentenced to serve two and a half years in jail.
Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III said that Eli Zarate, 43, was convicted on January 7 after a jury trial in New Bedford District Court. His two-and-a-half-year sentence will be served at the Bristol County House of Correction in Dartmouth, with two years to serve and the balance suspended for three years.
Details of the Dartmouth Street Moped Stop
The charges date back to August 1, 2025, when Massachusetts State Troopers spotted two people riding a moped without helmets on Dartmouth Street in New Bedford. The troopers then stopped the moped.
Zarate was the passenger on the moped, and his nephew was the driver. The moped was not registered, and the troopers informed the two that the moped would need to be towed. Zarate then began recording the troopers and “got in their faces in an agitated state,” according to the D.A.’s Office.
How the Encounter Escalated With State Troopers
The nephew tried to flee on the moped, and Zarate attempted to block the troopers and started grabbing at them. The troopers began chasing the nephew on the moped, with Zarate following behind them. Both Zarate and the nephew repeatedly were non-compliant and physically resisted the troopers’ commands.
Use of Force and Arrest Details
Zarate then got into a physical struggle with one of the troopers, causing his body-worn camera to fall off. The troopers attempted to tase Zarate. After the first attempt failed, Zarate laughed and said, “Let’s go again” while advancing toward the trooper with clenched fists. He was tased two more times and eventually detained…