LARCENY

On Dec. 16 at approximately 6:09 p.m., Officer Anthony D’Ambrosca was dispatched to the Sonesta Suites on Kilvert Street for a report of a larceny.

At the scene he met with the reporting party, who explained that she arrived at the Sonesta around 4:14 p.m. and left her pink purse on the front seat of her car. She said that she was bringing items from her car to her room and left the purse behind. When she returned to the vehicle she noticed that both her front doors were open and that the car had been rummaged through and the purse was gone.

Contained inside the purse was $440 dollars, a gold elephant pendant valued at $1,000, a gold necklace valued at $1,300, a necklace with a cross valued at $500, a gold sapphire bracelet valued at $300, earrings valued at $400, along with some paperwork and credit cards. The woman advised that she wished to press charges against the suspect if they are found. There are currently no suspects or witnesses.

POSSESSION

Officer Sara Goes was driving south on Warwick Avenue on December 30 at approximately 4:14 a.m. when he observed a black Toyota Highlander take a left hand turn on Sandy Lane that swerved over the double yellow lines and into oncoming traffic. A traffic stop was then conducted in the area of Bayside Apartments.

Contact was then made with Charissa Russell, 30, of 20 Monterey Road in Warwick. Officer Goes reported that as soon as Russell rolled down her window that a strong odor of marijuana began to emanate from the vehicle. Russell provided the officer with paperwork, but said that her license was suspended. Russell also stated that she had a medical marijuana card when asked. Additional officers arrived on scene to provide assistance and a background check revealed that she had four previous convictions for driving on a suspended license.

A search of the vehicle produced five separate baggies of suspected marijuana, along with a scale and a grinder. Russell, who did not produce a medical marijuana card, was taken into custody and transported to police headquarters while her car was towed from the scene. The police report indicates that Russell was extremely uncooperative, and stated before being released that she doesn’t care how many times she gets arrested for driving on a suspended license and as soon as she gets her car back she will continue to drive.

Russell was given a citation for laned roadway violations, driving on a suspended license, and possession of marijuana. She was later released.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

On December 28 at 6:56 p.m., Officer Ryan Lancaster responded to the area of 57 Washington Street for a report of a motor vehicle accident. While en route to the scene he officer was advised by dispatch that a GMC Envoy had struck a telephone pole, and that a white male who was possibly the driver had attempted to walk away from the vehicle.

At the scene, Officer Lancaster found the Envoy with its front end resting against a telephone pole with heavy front end damage. Contact was made with the driver, identified as John Cullen, 59, of 1890 Broad Street Apt. 218 in Cranston, and a witness. The witness stated that he had been inside a nearby residence and heard a loud bang, which prompted him to go outside. He stated that Cullen had attempted to walk away from the vehicle.

The officer then spoke with Cullen, and reported that he showed signs of intoxication. Cullen said he had been driving at the time of the crash, and that he had left the VFW on Washington Street just prior to the crash. He stated that he may have fallen asleep prior to the accident, and that he had consumed two vodka sodas at the VFW. Cullen had an abrasion to his head and stated he had pain throughout his body after the crash. A rescue crew then responded to the scene to attend to him.

Cullen was asked if he would take part in a field sobriety test but refused. He was taken into custody, and later transported by ambulance to Rhode Island Hospital. At the hospital, he refused to take a chemical breathalyzer test. He was issued a District Court summons for driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a chemical test.

WARRANT

On December 25 at approximately 2:30 p.m., Officer Ali Jaafar was dispatched to the Quaker Lane Season Corner Market for a report of a subject occupying a restroom for approximately 45 minutes who was refusing to leave.

At the scene the officer knocked on the men’s bathroom door and asked that it be opened. A female answered saying it would be a minute before opening the door. The woman, identified as Christina Cruz, 29, of 156 Broadway in Pawtucket, had one of her sweatshirt sleeves rolled up and her arm appeared to have fresh bloody puncture wounds. She also had an empty syringe in her hand with residue inside, as well as old scars on the same arm.

Through Officer Jaafar’s training as a drug recognition expert, he believed that Cruz was in the bathroom for an extended period of time in an attempt to use narcotics. Due to the presence of the suspected drug paraphernalia and her behavior, the officer conducted a search of Cruz’s handbag. Inside the bag was an unlabeled bottle of medicine with what appeared to be a twisted baggie containing approximately one gram of a white powdery substance. This substance was suspected to be fentanyl and Cruz allegedly confirmed this when questioned.

Cruz was handcuffed and placed into the officer’s cruiser. A background check revealed that she had a Superior Court bench warrant for failure to appear for a pretrial conference. Warwick Fire and Rescue conducted a visual check up of Cruz, and informed the officer that she appeared to be in good health and to continue to monitor her for any signs of a change in behavior. She was transported to police headquarters and processed.

A member of the Special Operations Group responded to headquarters and conducted a field test on the suspected fentanyl. It returned inconclusive results and was sent to the Rhode Island Toxicology Lab for testing. Cruz was later transported to the ACI where she was held for morning court.