Johnston Police Log

ASSAULT

Detective Anthony Sasso reports that on the morning of Jan. 6, Jeffrey Opferkuch, 49, 75 Pocasset St., Johnston, turned himself in at Johnston Police Department headquarters on charges of felony assault on a person over 60 causing bodily injury and misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

Opferkuch was arraigned and released on $10,000 personal recognizance with a Third Division District Court date of Jan. 11. He also has a Sixth Division District Court pre-arraignment conference date of April 15.

Opferkuch’s arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred on Christmas Eve at the above address. Patrolman Arthur Petteruti wrote that on Dec. 26, an unnamed party responded to headquarters to report an assault that had occurred two days prior. The man said he arrived at Pocasset Mills to visit someone, saying that when he arrived the intercom system at the front entrance was not working correctly and he could not make contact with the person they were trying to reach.

The man said that while standing outside the building, a man – later identified as Opferkuch – and woman entered using a key fob and he attempted to follow them inside, at which time Opferkuch shut the door and said, “You’re not coming in.” Petteruti was told that the reporting party and the man engaged in a verbal argument, at which time Opferkuch opened the door and intentionally shoved him on to the cement walkway. The man said he was not injured and suffered only minor scrapes.

Sasso later reviewed surveillance footage of the alleged incident, seeing Opferkuch raise his middle finger at one point before turning to head inside the building. Sasso wrote that Opferkuch then made an abrupt turn, handed off the box he was carrying and proceeded to confront the man. He saw on the tape that Opferkuch grabbed the man and violently shoved him to the ground.

DUI

Patrolman Kevin Brady, along with Patrolwoman Kayleigh Cooper and Patrolman Cody Weaver, responded to the area of 525 Killingly St. on the evening of Jan. 6 for a motor vehicle accident with reported injuries.

Upon arrival, Brady saw that vehicle No. 4 had rear-ended vehicle No. 3, and the impact of that collision caused two other vehicles to strike each other. Brady spoke with the driver of vehicle No. 4 – identified Fabio Correia, 36, 16 Frances Drive, Cranston – who allegedly had a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his breath. Brady reports that Correia’s speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and watery and his face was flushed.

Brady asked Correia if he had been drinking, to which he replied, “A couple beers.” In plain view, Brady said, he saw an empty beer bottle laying on the passenger seat and Cooper found two more in the glovebox. As he was speaking with Correia, Brady said a firefighter approached him to say that an unknown man ran over to Correia’s vehicle, retrieved several empty beer bottles and threw them across the street. Brady said he was unable to find the bottles.

Correia is said to have consented to standardized field sobriety tests, administered by Cooper. She reports observing a lack of smooth pursuit in his eyes, and that he lost balance and failed to complete the walk-and-turn test. He also could not complete the one-leg stand, according to Cooper.

Correia was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, first offense, .15 or greater.

LARCENY

Patrolwoman Kayleigh Cooper and Patrolman Matthew Rado responded to the Central Falls Police Department on the evening of Jan. 21 to take custody of Kevin Colpitts, 47, 254 Annie St., Pawtucket, on a misdemeanor charge of larceny under $1,500.

Colpitts’ arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred on the early morning of June 14, when patrolmen Anthony St. Laurent and Andrew Broccoli responded to a report of larceny of a patio set.

Upon arriving on the scene, St. Laurent spoke with the owner of the residence, who said that her dog began to bark about 20 minutes prior.

At this time, she said her husband let the dog out and realized that her patio set on the front porch was gone from the property. She also indicated no other items were stolen from the property. The stolen items are valued at about $500. The reporting party noted that her neighbor has a surveillance system that may have captured the events.

A warrant was later prepared for Colpitts’ arrest.