Armor-wearing Nantucket man was holding a gun loaded with 15 rounds during Dorchester foot chase, police say

A man who managed to drive away from police in Yarmouth a year ago proved unable to outrun Boston Police gang officers chasing him as he held a loaded gun in his right hand in Dorchester early this morning, police say.

Police report that gang officers were looking for Winston Cottrell, 31, of Nantucket, after they'd learned he might have a gun, in the area of Quincy and Ceylon streets. Shortly after 1:30 a.m., police say, they found him walking down the street - although he began to run when he spotted the officers:

Officers observed the suspect holding a firearm in his right hand as he fled. The armed suspect was placed in custody following a brief foot pursuit and ensuing struggle. The officers then recovered a .40 caliber M&P handgun loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and 14 additional rounds in the magazine as well as a spare magazine loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition. Officers also discovered that the suspect was wearing body armor underneath his jacket.

He was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm, two counts of possession of a large-capacity feeding device and using body armor in the commission of a felony, police say.

Shortly before 2 a.m. on Nov. 7 of last year, a police officer in Yarmouth pulled Cottrell over for motor-vehicle infractions, which included driving with a suspended license and a revoked registration. But then, police say, Cottrell floored it and escaped before abandoning the car about a mile away. Police say they found "a large amount" of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the abandoned car.

Innocent, etc.