Police Log

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

On December 23 at approximately 3:30 a.m., Officers Mario Mennella and Michael Schiappa responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on a lawn in the area of Henry Court.

At the scene the officers observed the car on the lawn, and approached the driver’s side door and observed a man sleeping in the driver’s seat. They then knocked on the window several times until the subject woke up. They asked the man several tomes to put the window down, then the man shifted the vehicle into drive and drove the vehicle forward over the grass until it struck a shed and stopped.

The officers then moved their cruiser directly behind the car and again approached the vehicle and demanded the driver stop. However, the driver then drove left of the shed and ran over several lawn chairs of the residence before driving through a neighbor’s yard until the car got stuck underneath a back yard deck.

According to the report, the officers again approached the vehicle and demanded that the driver turn the car off. The operator kept his foot on the accelerator and in an attempt to flee the scene. Due to public safety concerns in the event the car was to become free, Officer Mennella broke the driver’s side rear window, unlocked the doors and entered the vehicle. He then reached between the front seats and attempted to put the vehicle in park and turn it off.

The operator, later identified as Daniel Edward Clancy, 46, of 2 School Street Apt. 431 in Lincoln, pushed the officer’s hand and arm away and refused to listen to verbal commands. Officer Schiappa then opened the driver’s side door and demanded that Clancy get out of the vehicle, however he resisted. Officer Kevin Brady then arrived on scene and with his assistance Clancy was removed from the car.

Clancy still refused to cooperate, and Officer Mennella grabbed the Taser from Officer Schiappa’s duty belt and tased the suspect for five seconds. While the officers attempted to handcuff Clancy he continued to resist, and he was tased again for three seconds. Clancy then stopped resisting and was placed in handcuffs. The report notes that Officer Mennella used Officer Schiappa’s taser as Schiappa could not reach the taser as he was trying to detain the suspect with both of his hands.

Additional officers then arrived on scene, as did rescue. Clancy suffered scrapes to his arms and face, and appeared to be highly intoxicated with a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his person. He was then transported to Fatima Hospital while his vehicle was towed from the scene.

Clancy was charged with driving under the influence, first offense, refusal to submit to a chemical breathalyzer test, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.

ASSAULT

At approximately 4:10 p.m. on November 20, Officer Merrick Cook responded to 627 Killingly Street for a report of a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle. At the scene he met with the victim, who was receiving treatment from the Johnston Fire Department.

The man stated that he observed a black SUV operated by a light skinned male subject traveling on King Street towards Killingly. The victim said the man was playing loud music from his vehicle and he walked over to the car to ask the driver to turn the music down. The man said that the driver became confrontational and then struck him on the head with a flashlight.

The victim stated that he opened the door to the SUV, at which time the operator sped off and turned right onto Killingly Street with him hanging on to the door. The victim told the officer that he was dragged several feet, could not hang on and fell from the vehicle onto the roadway in front of 653 Killingly Street.

A check of the area did not locate the suspect. A witness, who saw the incident and called the police, stated that she frequently saw the SUV on King Street playing loud music and described it as a common nuisance in the area. The victim then stated that he wished to press charges against the driver.

Following a subsequent investigation, Anthony Welchman, 32, of 10 King Street Apt. 2 in Johnston, turned himself in to police headquarters on January 2 after a warrant for his arrest was issued. He was charged with assault on a person over 60 and disorderly conduct. He was later arraigned before Magistrate Ippollito who set surety bail at $2500. Welchman entered no plea during the arraignment.

DISORDERLY

On December 30 at approximately 3:56 p.m. Officers Nicholas Manocchio and Robert Cardoza responded to a report of a disturbance on Osgood Avenue

At the scene they met with the reporting party, who stated that he had a verbal argument with Shane Gonsalves, 18, of 993 Manton Avenue in Providence. The argument began because Gonsalves believed the man had allowed his dog to defecate on his lawn. The argument then turned to a physical altercation when Gonsalves struck the man three times in the head with a closed fist and then shoved him to the ground. The man’s account was later confirmed by a witness who saw the incident.

Officers then spoke with Gonsalves, who confirmed that there was a verbal argument in front of the residence where he was staying that evening. He stated that the other party spit on him and out of self-defense he struck the man with a closed fist and pushed him to the ground.

Due to the independent witness account and the visible injuries of the victim, Gonsalves was placed under arrest for assault and disorderly conduct and transported to Johnston Police headquarters. He was later arraigned before Justice of the Peace Thomas O’Brien and released on $1,000 personal recognizance with a District Court summons to appear.