POLICE NEWS

Police Log 06-08-23

Posted 6/8/23

ROAD RAGE

Around 6 p.m., April 15, Warwick Police responded to the parking lot of Buffy’s Bubbles at 1255 Post Road, to investigate a reported “road rage” incident that …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in
POLICE NEWS

Police Log 06-08-23

Posted

ROAD RAGE

Around 6 p.m., April 15, Warwick Police responded to the parking lot of Buffy’s Bubbles at 1255 Post Road, to investigate a reported “road rage” incident that occurred between two drivers.

The caller, one of the occupants of an involved vehicle, told police that the other vehicle, a blue Ford Escape, was last seen exiting Post Road northbound onto Route 37 West.

The caller told police that she was driving in her lane when the Escape started tailgating, changed lanes and pulled up directly to the right of her vehicle.

“At this time, the male allegedly rolled down his window, then spit towards King’s car,” Warwick Police Officer Derek J. Hagopian wrote in the police incident report. “The male operator then allegedly began to cuss at her, before throwing a bottle of Gatorade out the window at her vehicle. King also stated that the male operator also (threw) a lighter and various items at her vehicle. King stated that all of these items did make contact with the passenger’s side of her vehicle.”

Both vehicles were moving at the time of the incident.

The caller told police that after throwing items at her car, he cut her off, nearly hitting her vehicle. She provided the vehicle’s license plate number to police.

“It should be noted that (the victim) captured a significant amount of this incident on camera,” Hagopian wrote. “One video captured the events on Airport Road. A second video captured the encounter while stopped in traffic at the intersection (of Post Road and Lincoln Avenue). Police viewed the footage.

Police used the registration plate to track down the driver. Police eventually tracked down the other driver’s wife, a Cranston woman, who told police “my husband was driving.” She provided his name but then terminated the phone call.

Shortly after, a man called Warwick Police dispatch and asked to speak with Hagopian.

Police identified the driver as Joao C. Estrela, 49, of 740 Dyer Ave., Apt. 2, Cranston.

Estrela allegedly admitted he was the other driver.

“Ultimately, Joao admitted to driving his wife’s vehicle on this day in question,” Hagopian wrote. “He was advised that there was video evidence. He admitted to driving on Airport Road and being involved in a ‘road rage’ incident, however, he stated that the other operator tried to ‘’run him off the road.’”

Estrela denied throwing objects out his vehicle.

The other driver told police she wanted to pursue a criminal complaint. She provided the video footage as evidence. Police also determined Estrela was driving with a suspended license.

He was charged with Throwing Articles at Moving Vehicles, Driving with Suspended/Canceled/Revoked License (fourth offense), Littering, Turn Signal Required, No Seatbelt (Operator), and Laned Roadway Violations. He eventually turned himself into Warwick Police after they issued an arrest warrant.


LARCENY

Around 10:44 a.m., May 19, Warwick police were dispatched to a city home for the report of a stolen catalytic converter.

Police met with the reporting party in front of his home. He told police that the converter was stolen from his Toyota Prius overnight.

He had last driven his Prius the previous day. Then, around 9 a.m., he came outside to his vehicle to got to the store, started it, and it made an “extremely loud noise.” He decided to take another vehicle to the store. When he returned home, he discovered the stolen auto part.

The part has been valued around $800.


DUI

Around 2:07 p.m., May 19, Warwick Police responded to assist in a motor vehicle crash investigation.

The owner of a white 2009 Hyundai Elantra had been involved in a crash, and according to police, “appeared to be intoxicated form liquor.”

The driver was ultimately identified as Peter B. Guillet, 42, of 47 Vaughan St.

He consented to a series of standardized field sobriety tests. Following the tests, Guillet was arrested and charged with DUI of Liquor (BAC unknown, first offense) and he received citations for Refusal to Submit to Chemical Test (first offense) and Turn Signal Required.

Around 12:35 a.m., May 20, Warwick Police traveling north on Post Road near Bucklin Avenue, on a DUI Traffic Enforcement detail. They spotted a vehicle “traveling at an extremely low rate of speed.” Police estimated the vehicle was traveling around 15 mph (in a posted 35 mph zone).

Eventually, the vehicle came to a full stop at a green light, at the intersection of the two roads. The vehicle remained stopped for several moments, blocking the right hand lane of travel and “actively disrupting the flow of traffic on Post Road.”

The vehicle then made a right hand turn onto Sand Pond Road and park at a closed business.

Police spoke to and identified the driver as Thomas J. Whitaker, 74, of 20 Linden Road, Narragansett.

He consented to a series of standardized field sobriety tests. Following the tests, Whitaker was arrested and charged with DUI of Liquor (BAC unknown, first offense) and he received citations for Stopped on Open Portion of Traveled Highways and Refusal to Submit to Chemical Test (first offense).


SUSPENDED LICENSE

At 5:42 p.m., May 19, Warwick Police Officer Connor R. Bemis was on a fixed traffic post on West Shore Road when he spotted a black Ford traveling west. The vehicle had no front plate, so Bemis initiated a traffic stop. The driver, identified as Roland J. Ferland, 54, of 17 Dexter St., Johnston, had a suspended driver’s license, according to police. It was allegedly Ferland’s fourth and subsequent offense, so he was taken into custody.

Ferland was transported to Warwick Police Headquarters. His vehicle was towed from the scene. He was charged with one count of Driving with Suspended/Revoked/Canceled License (fourth or subsequent offense).

police, cops, crime

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here