Police Log

The Police Log is a digest of reports filed by the Johnston Police Department.

HOW THEY GET CAUGHT

Patrolman David J. Loffler reports being on a fixed post on Killingly Street at approximately 10:40 p.m. on May 7 when he observed a vehicle with Rhode Island passenger plates traveling north without a valid inspection sticker. 

The vehicle was stopped, and Loffler reports the operator said he did not have the money for the inspection after purchasing the car. A valid bill of sale was produced, and the registration was found to be active and in the driver’s name.

A subsequent check found the driver had two active warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Loffler. One was for an arraignment and the other for a pretrial conference, both connected to misdemeanor shoplifting charges out of Cranston.

Ryan J. Romano, 19, of 41 Lincoln St. in Smithfield, was issued a summons for inspection sticker required and taken into custody without incident on the warrants. He was transported to Johnston headquarters and later remanded to the ACI Men’s Intake Facility.

DUI CHARGE

Patrolman Derek Palazzo reports being on a fixed post at Hartford and Atwood avenues at approximately 8:15 p.m. on May 9 when he observed a blue 2000 Cadillac with Rhode Island plates traveling southbound on Atwood without its headlights on. 

The vehicle then stopped at a yield sign as if preparing to travel west onto Hartford Avenue, but remain stopped for an extended amount of time despite the lack of traffic. As a result, a motorist behind the vehicle sounded his horn, at which point the first vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed onto Hartford Avenue.

Palazzo reports he began moving to catch up with the vehicle, and a check of Department of Motor Vehicles files revealed it was registered to a Johnston man. The patrolman caught up with the vehicle and reportedly observed it stop several lengths ahead of a white line at a traffic light without any preceding vehicles, and then slowly veer left towards the central median before swerving back into the travel lane and nearly striking another motorist.

The vehicle was stopped just west of the Route 295 overpass, the patrolman reports, and contact was made with the operator, whose eyes were bloodshot and words were slurred. The patrolman reports observing a strong odor of alcohol on the man’s breath, and an empty beer can on the passenger’s side front floorboard.

Sgt. Troy Maddocks then responded to the scene, and the operator reportedly agreed to a series of field sobriety tests. The driver reportedly had difficulty maintaining his balance as he exited the vehicle, and showed signs of impairment during the sobriety tests.

The man was then taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence, Palazzo reports. Evidence was photographed and tagged, and the vehicle was towed from the scene.

At Johnston headquarters, Palazzo reports the operator refused a chemical test, but acknowledged consuming alcohol earlier in the evening.

Richard B. Rendine, 27, of 40 Greenville Ave. in Johnston, was charged with driving under the influence-third offense and refusing to submit to a chemical test. He was additionally issued summonses for laned roadway violations and headlights required, and issued a citation for presence of alcoholic beverages while operating a motor vehicle. He was later arraigned and released on $5,000 personal recognizance.

FALSE PRESCRIPTIONS

Patrolman Matthew C. Rado reports responding to the Walgreens Pharmacy at 25 Putnam Pike with Patrolman Adam Parkinson and Sgt. Stephen Altomari at approximately 3 p.m. on May 10 for a report of a white female at the store attempting to obtain prescription drugs with a false prescription note.

Upon arrival, the prescription drug clerk identified the suspect in the store. The clerk said earlier that day, she had received a voicemail to fill prescriptions for Vicodin and Valium, with the caller pretending to be the manager of an office. 

The clerk told police such voicemails are common, but this call was suspicious because of the amount of pills being requested, the strength of the pills and the fact that the caller provided information doctors would not typically know or provide.

Rado reports that Altomari confirmed with the office in question that no authorization had been given for the prescription or the voicemail. At that point, the suspect was placed under arrest. Police were provided with photocopies of the fraudulent prescriptions.

Kayleigh E. Bellisle, 26, of 60 Longuevue Drive in North Providence, was charged with false representation to obtain a controlled substance. She was later arraigned and released on $5,000 personal recognizance.