· By Scott Pickering
Woonsocket police officers had to deal with more than an unruly 32-year-old man when they went to arrest him outside his apartment – they had a crowd of bystanders cheering and chanting as the suspect battled officers. When officers put the man on the ground for a pat-down, he allegedly kicked backwards and hit one officer in the groin. That sparked cheers from the crowd. The man reportedly continued to struggle inside the police cruiser, kicking the inside window of the car, threatening to assault officers, and stating that his sister was a lawyer and he would sue. At the police station, he broke the plexiglass window on his cell door.
Johnston officer makes a ‘career arrest’
A Johnston police officer is being credited with making a “career arrest” by his superior officer. Johnston Police Chief David DeCesare said that Sgt. Brian LeClair was patrolling near Burlington Coat Factory at 3:20 in the morning when he found two men dressed all in black attempting to break into the store. The officer drew his gun and ordered the men to the ground, but instead of listening, one of the men took off his facemask and gloves, charged at the officer and hit him in the face. The second man then started walking toward the officer, too. Sgt. LeClair swung at the first man with his flashlight, stepped back and ordered both men on the ground at gunpoint. This time, they listened, and backup arrived shortly. In an email message, Chief DeCesare credited LeClair with successfully handling "probably one of the more stressful situations an officer can encounter — being alone, outnumbered behind a building, and confronting two criminals caught in the act of a serious crime."
Woman honking horn triggers man’s arrest
Police discovered a man wanted on an arrest warrant thanks to a woman honking her car horn outside his residence at 1:30 in the morning. Neighbors disturbed by the honking horn called Portsmouth police. When they showed up, officers discovered the warrant for his arrest and he was taken into custody in the middle of the night.
Woman’s driveway tirade leads to arrest
A 36-year-old Middletown woman was arrested after a tirade outside her house, which allegedly began after a fight with her husband over a $3,000 credit card bill. She allegedly got into her Hyundai, which was blocked in the driveway by her husband’s Chrysler, then backed her car into her husband’s car several times. According to the report, she then kicked his car, jumped up on its hood, got back into her car, and drove across the front yard, hitting a tree. Next, she got out of her car, overturned a set of patio furniture, and walked away from the premises. A police officer found her on a nearby street, and she was arrested without incident.
Oops, wrong house
A 56-year-old North Kingstown woman avoided arrest but got a ride home after she allegedly went out for a smoke, parked her car on someone else’s lawn and tried entering the stranger’s house with her car key. The homeowner called police, who detected alcohol on the woman’s breath, but they opted to give her a ride home and to tow the car.
Police nab serial burglar hiding in house
Tiverton police officers surrounded a home to arrest a serial burglar for half a dozen alleged break-ins at Tiverton businesses and homes. After officers surrounded the home and cordoned off the area, they went inside and found the 19-year-old hiding between a mattress and a wall. He was arrested without incident.