Mass. State Police troopers arrested a 29-year-old Dracut man Friday night who is suspected of shooting a man earlier in the night outside a McDonald’s restaurant in Methuen.
Just before 10:30, troopers, assisted by Dracut and Lowell Police, arrested Rodney Villar at his home without incident. State Police tracked Villar through the registration of a 2018 Toyota Highlander sport utility vehicle he used to flee the shooting scene.
The arrest was made after Troopers Sean Milovanovic and David Rameau found the Highlander parked outside Villar’s residence in Dracut. Rameau, incidentally, just graduated from the State Police Academy last week and Milovanovic is his field training officer. Troopers, including members of the Troop A Community Action Team, went to Villar’s door.
The shooting occurred during an argument outside the McDonald’s at 180 Haverhill St., Methuen. The unidentified victim was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries from the shooting. His condition is not known.
Villar is to be transferred to the custody of Methuen Police. The shooting is under investigation by Methuen Police, the State Police Detective Unit for Essex County, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and the State Police Ballistics Unit.