Johnston Police Log

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

DUI

On the evening of March 27, Patrolman Anthony St. Laurent and Patrolwoman Kayleigh Cooper responded to the Citgo Gas Station at 514 Greenville Ave. for a report of an erratic driver.

Upon their arrival, they met with the witness, who said she was traveling behind a vehicle and saw it swerve across the fog line several times on Route 295 north, striking a guard rail twice. The vehicle continued on Greenville Avenue toward Atwood Avenue, taking a right onto Atwood Avenue where the car stopped at a yield sign for about three minutes before taking an immediate left turn. The witness and another unidentified vehicle pulled in front of the woman to prevent further operation.

St. Laurent met with the operator, identified as Bridget Avallone, 26, 277 Nursery Ave., Woonsocket. St. Laurent saw heavy damage to the passenger’s side door, along with the driver’s side mirror being completely removed. A RILETS check showed that Avallone’s license was suspended. When confronted, Avallone was slurring her speech and had severely bloodshot, watery eyes, according to police. St. Laurent reports detecting a faint odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath.

She submitted to a series of standardized field sobriety tests, during which St. Laurent said she exhibited lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes and failure to keep balance. Avallone was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. She was later issued a Third Division District Court summons for April 5 on a charge of driving under the influence. She was also given a Third Division District Court summons on a charge of driving with a suspended license, first offense, and a citation for refusal to submit to a preliminary breath test.

VANDALISM

Patrolman Nicholas Mannocchio and Patrolwoman Kayleigh Cooper responded to Smithfield Police Department headquarters to take custody of Amanda J. Hildebrand, 22, 14 Prince St., Coventry, on a warrant for malicious damage to property.

Hildebrand was later released with a Third Division District Court summons for July 26. Hildebrand’s arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred on the afternoon of Jan. 23, when patrolmen Thomas Pederzani and Arthur Petteruti responded to Johnston Police headquarters to take report of vandalism to a vehicle.

Pederzani spoke to the vehicle’s owner, who said that on Jan. 21 she was advised by her granddaughter that her vehicle was vandalized. Pederzani spoke to another party, who said she was operating the vehicle when the suspected vandalism took place, stating that her friends and another party were arguing outside her vehicle on the front lawn. The argument escalated and resulted in a person throwing a set of keys at her vehicle, cracking the windshield.

Another party explained to Pederzani that she was standing on the front lawn with Hildebrand having a discussion when Hildebrand was “triggered with anger” and threw her keys at the windshield.

FALSE DOCUMENTS

Patrolman Arthur Petteruti wrote on the afternoon of April 1 that Shailee Mendez, 24, 1277 Plainfield St., Johnston, responded to Johnston Police headquarters to turn herself in on a warrant for giving false documents to an agent or public official, obstructing an officer in the execution of duty and operating a motor vehicle without a license.

Mendez was later released with a Third Division District Court summons for July 26, and an additional summons for Aug. 16 on the license charge. Mendez’s arrest stemmed from an alleged incident on Jan. 25.

Police said Petteruti had stopped Mendez’s car on Jan. 25, and later investigation showed pictures Mendez had shared on social media platforms revealed she had falsely identified herself to officers. Patrolman Michael Protano’s report said that Mendez did not have a driver’s license, which he said may have been a motive to obstruct police officers.

On March 18, Petteruti responded to 1277 Plainfield St. to assist Sgt. Remy Mendez and Protano with a follow-up investigation in reference to a woman falsely identifying herself during a traffic stop on Jan. 25. Petteruti positively identified her as Shailee Mendez, and said she had signed a Third Division District Court summons under a false identity during the traffic stop.

Upon speaking with Shailee Mendez, Protano knocked on the door several times before she answered, and he said every effort was afforded to her to explain what happened Jan. 25. Protano said Mendez stared at the officers, began breathing heavily and paused to say she had to watch her child. She never denied the allegations against her, and they left and returned with Petteruti. They knocked on the door and a male voice answered saying she was not there.

SUSPENDED LICENSE

Patrolman Manuel Perez was on a fixed post in the area of 670 Killingly St. when he saw a vehicle traveling southbound with a blue expired registration stick affixed to its registration plate.

Perez conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the operator, Jamaal Alejo, 27, 39 Harvard St., Cranston. A RILETS check revealed that Alejo’s license was suspended, and it was his fourth offense. He was issued a Third Division District Court summons on a charge of driving with a suspended license, third or subsequent offense, with a court date of Aug. 16.

ASSAULT

Patrolmen Andrew Broccoli and Joseph Anderson responded to the Lincoln State Police Barracks on the morning of April 7 to take custody of Robert Frye, 50, 310 Hawkins St., Providence.

Frye was wanted out of Johnston Police on charges of simple assault, vandalism and disorderly conduct, stemming from an alleged incident that occurred March 30.

Patrolman Cody Weaver and two other officers responded to Pick-N-Pull on 30 Green Earth Ave. on the afternoon of the above date for the report of a disturbance. Upon arrival, Weaver said they met with the calling party, who said he was punched in the face and his vehicle was damaged by a party known only at the time as “Bobby.”

The reporting party said he went to Pick-N-Pull to get a part for his vehicle and started talking with Frye, whom he thought worked there. Frye explained he would get the part for the man for $60, which the man accepted. Weaver said Frye then stole the part from Pick-N-Pull and attempted to sell it to the man. At this time, when the man found out it was stolen, he was no longer interested in purchasing the part.

Frye became irate and punched the man in the face with a closed fist, but the alleged victim didn’t have any visible injuries and said he didn’t need medical attention. Weaver said that after punching the man in the face, Frye proceeded to smash the rear windshield of his vehicle with the part that he stole. Weaver noted that Frye left the scene just before police arrived.