VEHICLE BREAK-INS

On March 15 at approximately 7:17 p.m., Officer Patrick Smith was dispatched to the parking lot of the Warwick Avenue Planet Fitness for a report of a larceny from a motor vehicle.

Smith made contact with the reporting party, who had arrived at the facility around 6 p.m. and returned to her vehicle at 7:15. She stated her minivan had been broken into and her purse, containing credit and debit cards, house and car keys, a driver’s license, and additional personal identification, was stolen.

Smith noticed the front window had been smashed out, and had the victim complete a written statement.

While processing, a second party approached Smith to report her vehicle had also been broken into. Parked one space away from the first party’s vehicle, the second car’s front passenger window was broken out and a Michael Kors bag was taken. Located within the bag was a wallet containing various cards, military and personal identification cards, dog tags, and RayBan sunglasses.

As the second party completed their statement, a third victim approached Smith to report her rear passenger-side window had been smashed. This vehicle was parked approximately 50 yards away from the previous two, however it appeared that nothing was taken from the interior and the party only wished to report the damage.

Planet Fitness staff stated no suspicious activity was reported, and there was no video surveillance.

DUI

Officer Charles Austin reports backing up Officer Matthew Smith on a traffic stop at the intersection of Post Road and Vanderbilt on March 14 at approximately 1:14 a.m. As he exited his vehicle to assist, he glanced at his rearview mirror to find a vehicle coming from behind nearly strike his vehicle and its open door, which was quickly closed to make way.

Smith heard the sound of a vehicle accelerating in close proximity, and observed a red 2004 Ford pickup truck nearly hitting Austin before nearly being struck himself.

After passing the two officers, the truck driver revved its engine and changed lanes without signaling several more times while traveling southbound on Post Road. Austin re-entered his cruiser, followed the pickup, and was able to conduct a traffic stop at the intersection of Post and Montbello.

Austin approached the truck’s operator, later identified as Ricki Beaufort, 19, of 52 Duncan Road, Warwick, and observed that her face was flushed, and her eyes were bloodshot and watery. Beaufort was asked for her driver’s license and reportedly seemed confused, handing the officer her bank card.

After exiting the car with difficulty and assistance, she was escorted to the sidewalk and asked to submit to a series of field sobriety tests, to which she agreed. Austin determined that Beaufort failed the test series, and placed her under arrest.

Beaufort was transported to Warwick police headquarters, where she agreed to submit to a chemical test, which resulted in blood alcohol content readings of .191 and .190. When the test was completed, Beaufort was charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (first offense, BAC .15 or greater). She was issued a citation, processed, and released to a sober adult.

SHOPLIFTING

On March 10 at 5:05 pm, Warwick Police Department officers were dispatched to Target at the Warwick Mall for a report of a male who had shoplifted a laptop and was running from the store’s loss prevention towards the Nylo hotel.

The suspect, described as a white male wearing a black or green puffed jacket and a white winter hat, was lost by the loss prevention associates behind the hotel. Officers checked the area and were unable to locate the suspect.

Officer Christian Vargas later responded to Target to obtain a report. Store officials stated that the suspect entered the store’s electronics department, concealed the laptop – valued at $299.99 – in his jacket after removing its security device, and exited the store without making an attempt to pay. When approached by loss prevention, he began to run.

Vargas was advised by dispatch that a Nylo employee saw a male subject run from the back of one of the abandoned mill buildings before entering into a waiting white pickup truck, which then fled at a high rate of speed. The employee indicated that she had observed a FedEx driver running after the subject and yelling at him asking if he had taken something from his delivery truck. She wrote down the license plate of the pickup truck and provided it to police.

Several variations of the plate number provided were researched, and a closely matched number found a connection to a white truck registered to a Johnston address. Officer Vargas had dispatch contact the Johnston police to make a check of the address and have the registered owner call the Warwick police.

Dispatch also contacted FedEx to inquire if the driver would be able to identify the subject, believed to be the same person from Target. No packages were removed from the delivery truck.

At the time the report was filed, Vargas had not heard from the registered owner.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT

On March 7 at approximately 11:14 p.m., Officer Brian Fontaine, along with Officers Higgins, Zaborski, and Curley, was dispatched to 2198 Elmwood Ave. for a report of a motor vehicle accident with injuries.

Fontaine met with a witness who stated she was traveling south on Post Road bearing right onto Elmwood Avenue where she observed a Toyota RAV 4 traveling on Elmwood at a high rate of speed, which she estimated at 70 mph. The Toyota nearly struck the witness’s vehicle, traveled through the nearby Subway parking lot, proceeding through a row of bushes further into the lot, went airborne, and then stuck four vehicles. A statement was obtained from the witness.

Fontaine found the Toyota driver, later identified as Rene Gonzalez, 26, of 152 Regent Ave. in Providence, sitting in a lawn chair outside the vehicle being checked out by Warwick Fire Department personnel. A strong odor of alcoholic beverages, accompanied by bloodshot and watery eyes, was detected.

Gonzalez, who was speaking in an incoherent manner, reportedly tried to stand and was unsteady on his feet while trying to step towards officers in an aggressive manner in an attempt to leave the scene. He was then placed in handcuffs due to his agitated behavior.

Checks were performed on the Toyota and it was determined that the vehicle was reported stolen, with confirmation from the Boston Police Department, and towed to police headquarters. Checks were also performed on Gonzalez and it was determined he had a bench warrant from 6th District Court and no active license.

It was determined Gonzalez needed medical treatment, and he was transferred to Kent Hospital for evaluation. Fontaine rode with Gonzalez in the rescue and read him his rights for use at scene. He proceeded to attempt to perform sobriety tests on Gonzalez, but he was noncompliant. At the hospital, Gonzalez refused to submit to a blood test before being turned over to Kent Hospital staff, while another officer arrived on scene to stay with the suspect.

Gonzalez was charged with driving without consent of the owner, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (first offense, blood alcohol content unknown), refusal to submit to a chemical test (first offense), and issued a mandatory district court date the following day.