POLICE NEWS

Police Log 09/09/21

Posted 9/9/21

DUI Just before 2 a.m. on Sept. 3, Officer Ryan Costa responded to Main Avenue for a report of an erratic motor vehicle. The reporting party had advised that she had first observed the vehicle - described as a white Mercedes - traveling north on Bald

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POLICE NEWS

Police Log 09/09/21

Posted

DUI

Just before 2 a.m. on Sept. 3, Officer Ryan Costa responded to Main Avenue for a report of an erratic motor vehicle.

The reporting party had advised that she had first observed the vehicle – described as a white Mercedes – traveling north on Bald Hill Road, where it was “swerving into the other lane of traffic.” The reporting party followed the vehicle onto East Avenue, where it is said to have traveled through three red lights at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was last seen heading onto Main Avenue.

Costa observed a vehicle matching the description traveling east on Main Avenue.

“I caught up to the vehicle, and immediately observed it to swerve into the right hand lane and back into the left-hand lane,” the officer reports. “The vehicle then stopped at the intersection of Main Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard, where it took a left turn on to Jefferson Boulevard. While completing the turn, the vehicle was traveling completely left of the center dividing lane on the roadway. The vehicle then corrected itself, and was traveling northbound on Jefferson Boulevard.”

At that point, Costa initiated a stop and made contact with the vehicle’s male operator, who was said to have “bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech, and the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.”

The man is said to have acknowledged consuming alcohol earlier that night and agreed to undergo field sobriety testing, which he reportedly failed. The man is also said to have agreed to undergo portable breath testing at the scene, which reportedly found his blood alcohol content to be above the legal limit.

Nicholas E. Matos, 29, 285 Burnt Hill Road, Hope, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing. While at headquarters, he is said to have refused a chemical breath test.

Matos was held as a “potential bail or probation violator” pending an appearance in Third Division District Court, according to Costa’s report. Matos was issued a summons on a charge of driving under the influence and cited for refusal to submit to a chemical test and laned roadway violations.

***

Shortly before 9 p.m. on Aug. 25, Officer Richard Odell was on patrol heading north on Jefferson Boulevard in the area of Williamsburg Circle when a 1999 Toyota Camry in the other northbound lane “swerved towards my vehicle crossing the broken white dividing lines, almost causing a motor vehicle accident.”

Odell initiated a stop and made contact with the Camry’s operator.

“I immediately detected the strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from the interior of the vehicle,” Odell’s report states. “[The operator’s] eyes were bloodshot and watery, and her speech was slurred.”

The operator is said to have acknowledged consuming alcohol earlier that night and agreed to undergo field sobriety testing, which she reportedly failed.

Julia M. Lavigne, 60, 15 Stone St., Providence, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing. While at headquarters she is said to have refused a chemical breath test.

Lavigne was later released into the custody of a sober adult with a summons to appear in Third Division District Court on a charge of driving under the influence. She was additionally cited for refusal to submit to a chemical test and a laned roadway violation.

FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE

Just before 4 p.m. on Aug. 23, Officer Kyle Fitzsimmons responded to Colleen Haxton’s Liquors at 1325 Post Road for a report of a shoplifting incident in progress.

At the scene, the reporting party, an employee at the store, told Fitzsimmons that the male suspect had “stuffed his pockets with merchandise” – later identified as two bottles of beer – before attempting to pay for another item, a six-pack of beer.

The man’s payment card was declined, the reporting party told police, at which point he exited the store without making any attempt to pay for the concealed items. When he was confronted by employees, the man reportedly returned the items. The reporting party also told police the same suspect had been involved in a separate shoplifting incident the day prior.

Fitzsimmons reports another officer located the suspect’s vehicle, described as a Chevrolet Cavalier. A records check found the plates affixed to the vehicle did not match it, according to the officer’s report. Further checks found the suspect was wanted on “multiple warrants” issued from Sarasota, Florida.

Frederick B. Blake, 60, 89 Cushing Road, Warwick, was taken into custody on the warrants. He was additionally charged with shoplifting and being a fugitive from justice. He was transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing and later taken to the Adult Correctional Institutions to await extradition to Florida.

SHOPLIFTING

Just before 4 p.m. on Aug. 21, Officer Nicholas DeLuca and other officers responded to the Walmart at 650 Bald Hill Road for a report of shoplifting. Dispatch then advised that a suspect was in the custody of loss prevention personnel.

At the scene, a loss prevention officer told police that the suspect had exited the store without making any attempt to pay for roughly $290 worth of merchandise in her possession. At that point, the suspect was met by employees and escorted back inside. All of the merchandise was recovered. Walmart provided police with security camera footage of the incident.

Marianny Josefina Villasmil Baroza, 30, Astoria, New York, was arrested on a charge of shoplifting and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing. She was later released with a summons to appear in Third Division District Court.

***

At approximately 2 p.m. on Aug. 27, Officer Gerard Ditomasso responded to the Walmart at 650 Bald Hill Road for a report of two shoplifting suspects in the custody of loss prevention personnel.

At the scene, a loss prevention officer told Ditomasso the suspects had been observed selecting various items from the store before proceeding to a self-checkout lane, where “they would can some items and then put items that were not scanned into the bags as well.” When the suspects exited the store without paying for the unscanned items, they were met by employees and escorted back inside.

Lori Wetter, 41, 450 Laurel Hill Ave., Cranston, was arrested on charges of shoplifting, second offense, and trespassing. She was transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing and held pending an appearance before a bail commissioner. The store declined to press charges against the second suspect.

SUSPENDED LICENSE

Shortly before 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 15, Officer Aaron Steere was driving onto Interstate 95 north from the Airport Connector when he observed a 2010 Chevrolet.

“The vehicle drew Officer Steere’s attention due to the fact that the vehicle was about to pass him on the left when he observed the driver look over at Officer Steere’s patrol vehicle and then proceed to drop back in the lane behind Officer Steere,” the officer’s report reads. “Officer Steere found this to be unusual due to the fact that the vehicle was traveling at or about the posted speed limit.”

Steere reports the Chevrolet continued to “pace” the patrol vehicle, leading the officer to believe “the subject was attempting to avoid” police. Steere slowed down to the point that the Chevrolet passed him, and a records check found that the vehicle’s registered owner – who appeared to be driving – had a suspended license and an active arrest warrant issued from Providence Police.

Steere initiated a stop near exit 14 and made contact with the operator, who was confirmed to be the registered owner.

Anitra Kelly Barboza, 44, 136 Fisk St., Providence, was arrested on a charge of driving with a suspended license, third or subsequent offense, and taken into custody on the Providence warrant. She was transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing and later transferred into the custody of Providence Police. She was additionally cited for operating a vehicle with suspended registration, third or subsequent offense.

***

Shortly after 12 a.m. on Aug. 28, Officer Keara Enos was conducting a patrol in the area of Warwick Avenue and Namquid Drive when she observed a 2006 Nissan Extera traveling ahead of her. One of the Nissan’s plate lights was malfunctioning, according to the officer.

“I also observed that the vehicle appeared to be swerving from each extreme of the lane, however, it did not cross either the dotted yellow line or the fog line,” Enos reports.

A subsequent records check found the vehicle’s registration was suspended, as was the driver’s license of its registered owner. At that point, Enos initiated a stop and made contact with the operator, who was confirmed to be the owner. An additional records check found the operator had at least two prior convictions for driving with a suspended license.

Alexander C. Dominguez, 50, 215 Dunedin St., Cranston, was arrested on a charge of driving with a suspended license, third or subsequent offense, and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing. He was later released with a summons to appear in Third Division District Court.

LARCENY

Shortly after 11 a.m. on Aug. 9, Officer Brian Holleran responded to an Almy Street home regarding a report of larceny.

At the scene, the reporting party told Holleran that the catalytic converter had been removed from her Honda CRV. The damage was discovered after the reporting party had the vehicle – which was extremely loud when started – towed to a mechanic.

The reporting party told Holleran that on the morning of Aug. 8, she had noticed two men getting into a four-door sedan and driving away from the front of her property. She suspected those men had stolen the converter.

After a canvas of the area, a neighbor was asked to provide police with security camera footage. The matter was documented and forwarded to detectives. ***

Shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 22, Officer Brian Holleran responded to a West Shore Road apartment for a report of larceny.

At the scene, the reporting party told Holleran his Toyota Tacoma made a loud noise when it was started that morning. He then observed that a section of the exhaust pipe, believed to be the catalytic converter, had been cut out. The vehicle had been parked and left at approximately 7 p.m. the previous day, the reporting party said.

The matter was documented and forwarded to detectives.

WARRANT

Just after 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 28, Officer David Gaulin responded to the area of 3451 Post Road for a report of a fire hydrant that had been struck by a vehicle. The vehicle involved was said to have continued driving south toward East Greenwich after the collision.

At the scene, Gaulin observed the fire hydrant on the ground and water flowing from its base. At witness told police that an SUV had struck the hydrant and gone onto a lawn in the area before reentering the roadway and driving away.

The witness also pointed out that the vehicle’s bumper had fallen off during the incident, and its registration plate remain attached.

East Greenwich Police then advised that the suspect vehicle was disabled at the intersection of King and Marlborough streets in their town. A records check by police found the vehicle’s operator was wanted on an active bench warrant issued from Third Division District Court. Additionally, the operator’s license was suspended.

Carlos R. Lizardi, 35, 131 Oakland Ave., Apt. 1, Providence, was taken into custody on the warrant and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing. He was issued summonses to appear in Third Division District Court on charges of failure to stop for an accident resulting in damage and driving with a suspended license, third or subsequent offense.

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