Johnston Police Log

The Police Log is a digest of reports provided by the Johnston Police, Rhode Island State Police and other departments.

POSSESSION

Patrolman Michael Martufi Jr. was on a routine patrol the afternoon of March 8 when communications personnel radioed for available units to respond to Hartford Avenue for a report of a wanted subject.

According to police, the reporting party had identified Shawn Docekal, 38, 160 Bridgeham St., Providence, as the suspect in an alleged breaking and entering that occurred in Johnston on Feb. 16. A warrant for Docekal’s arrest in connection with that incident had been issued.

The reporting party was certain of Docekal’s identity, according to police, as he had made the initial report about the February break-in.

The reporting party said he saw Docekal turn on to Reedy Street, which becomes Elmdale Avenue shortly after. Police said Docekal parked his vehicle on Elmdale Avenue and fled through a backyard on foot. Patrolmen Matthew Winsor and Arthur Petteruti were the first to arrive on scene and confirmed the story of Docekal fleeing in to the woods. Martufi said he turned on to Rollingwood Drive, at which point he saw a suspicious man in a black sweatshirt walk toward him in the direction of Hartford Avenue.

He said he saw the man dive forward behind a silver sedan that was parked along the road, where he laid down in an attempt to hide from the officer. As he drove closer, Martufi saw Docekal place a brown paper bag underneath the car. When later asked what he hid under the car, Docekal allegedly said, “It’s something real bad; it’s fentanyl.”

Docekal was arrested and charged with felony possession of a schedule II drug. He was also charged on the warrant for felony entry of a building or ship with felonious intent. His arrest on that charge stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred the morning of Feb. 16, when Martufi and Patrolman Cody Weaver responded to a report of a larceny in progress.

While en route, Weaver said communications personnel advised the suspect was trying to leave the scene, and upon arrival they met with the reporting party who said the suspect had left stolen items just prior to police getting there. The reporting party said he is the project manager of a company in charge of building apartments, and he received a phone call from another employee who said a former employee, Docekal, was trying to steal some items.

When the incident was brought to his attention, the man tried to block Docekal from leaving the scene, but he drove off the roadway and around the man’s vehicle. While attempting to flee, Docekal’s truck became stuck in a snow bank, at which time the other man got out of his truck and yelled, “Shawn, what are you doing!” Docekal freed his vehicle and left the scene. The man said he was completely confident that Docekal was the suspect.

Another witness, who initially discovered the crime, said that while he was working, a gray truck backed into the driveway in front of the garage next to him and Docekal was loading boxes of faucets and towel bars into the vehicle. Weaver noted that the faucets and towel bars were new and had never been installed, as they were designated for some of the new apartments.

The man said he didn’t immediately recognized Docekal, and asked who he was and what he was doing, to which Docekal said, “I’m Shawn, I’m with the granite guys.” The man said there were no granite workers on site that day and began to call another man for assistance. At that moment, Weaver said Docekal got in his car and drove off, though the man took a picture of his front plate.

Weaver later discerned that the two witnesses believed Docekal gained entry to the units, and while construction is being done on the new apartments, the front door is always unlocked. He said they also think he used his prior knowledge from when he was still employed and entered through the unlocked door and open the garage.

ASSAULT

Patrolman Joseph D. Anderson responded to 20 Park St. for a report of an assault that had just occurred during the early morning hours of March 19.

Upon arrival, Anderson spoke with the victim, who said a truck followed him out of his apartment complex when he had left 10 minutes prior. He turned right on to Atwood Avenue and the truck sped past him and came to a stop to block him. A man, who he recognized as a resident of the apartment complex, exited the vehicle and approached him.

He rolled down the window to speak with him, but as he approached his vehicle, the man closed his left fist and struck the reporting party on the left side of his face while he was still in the vehicle. He followed the truck back to Park Street and saw the man enter his apartment. He didn’t know the man’s name, but said they have had many issues in the past, Anderson said.

Anderson made contact with the resident – identified as Maximo Pagan Skerett, 38, 20 Park St., Johnston – who said he had recently left to get McDonald’s and immediately returned home. He said he did not get into any altercation on his way there or back. As he was speaking with Maximo, Anderson said the reporting party walked from the front of the building and identified Maximo as the person who had assaulted him. Skerett was arrested and charged with simple assault and later released with a Third Division District Court summons for July 19.

LARCENY

Patrolman Joseph D. Anderson responded to Warwick Police headquarters early on the morning of March 19 to take custody of Victoria Hayes, 28, 136 Riverside Ave., Cranston, on a JPD warrant for larceny under $1,500.

Hayes was later released with a Third Division District Court summons to appear July 19. Hayes’s arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred the afternoon of Sept. 16, 2020. Patrolman Kevin Lyons responded that day to The Eyeshop at 1524 Atwood Ave. for a shoplifting that occurred six days prior.

He spoke with the reporting party, who said that Hayes was picking up her eyeglasses when she took another pair without paying and passed all points of purchase. The man advised that he called Hayes five minutes after she left the store, and she said she was on her way to return the eyeglasses. Lyons said she never returned the eyeglasses, which were Steve Madden Frames valued at $405.

SUSPENDED LICENSE

Sgt. Remy Mendez was on a fixed post in the area of 39 Greenville Ave. on the afternoon of March 16 when he saw a driver using his cell phone.

Mendez conducted a motor vehicle stop and spoke with the operator, identified as Marc Wagnac, 35, 22 Jackson Ave., Johnston. Checks showed that Wagnac’s license was suspended, and this was his third or subsequent offense. He was issued a Third Division District Court summons for Aug. 2.

WARRANT

Sgt. Remy Mendez was on a fixed post in the area of 620 Killingly St. on the morning of March 13 when he saw a vehicle pass by with window tint on the two front-side windows.

Mendez detained the vehicle and spoke with the operator, identified as Anthony Woodard, 32, 21 Searle St., Providence. Mendez wrote that Woodard said he did not have a driver’s license and that he was wanted on two active warrants, one from the Pawtucket Police Department and the other from Providence Police. Woodard was arrested on those warrants, and he was issued a Third Division District Court summons for driving without a license, third or subsequent offense. He must appear on Aug. 2.

EXPIRED LICENSE

Patrolmen Thomas Pederzani and Nicholas Manocchio were on a fixed post at 1025 Plainfield St. when they saw a vehicle pass by with window tint.

Pederzani conducted a motor vehicle stop and spoke with the driver, identified as Dariana Mingo, 24, 60 Prairie Ave., Providence. A RILETS check showed Mingo did not have a valid driver’s license, and she was issued a Third Division District Court summons to appear Aug. 2 for driving without a license.

DUI

Patrolmen Thomas Pederzani, Andrew Broccoli and Arthur Petteruti responded to the front of Johnston Police headquarters early on the morning of March 21 for a report of a woman who said she was being followed by another vehicle.

When the woman entered the front lot, a car trailed her that she identified as the one following her. Pederzani and Petteruti detained the vehicle and spoke with the driver, identified as John Borges Jr., 40, 26 Coggeshall St. Providence. While speaking with Borges about the incident, Pederzani said Borges told him, “I was following her because she was following me first.” Pederzani said he observed Borges’ eyes to be severely bloodshot and watery and his speech was slurred. When asked if he had consumed any alcohol or narcotics during the night, he said he did not.

Borges failed two of the standardized sobriety tests, according to Pederzani, and the one-leg stand was not performed because of Borges’s request to terminate the tests. He was placed under arrest on a charge of driving under the influence.

Later during processing, Borges allegedly said he had two Fireball shots. Pederzani said Borges told him he was having a hard time remembering when he consumed the alcohol but knew he ate two cheeseburgers at a friend’s house in Providence. When Borges was asked where he was going that night, he reportedly said he was driving around “looking for a girl.”

He was issued a Third Division District Court Summons for March 29 and a Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal citation for refusal to submit to a chemical test.