PLATFORM FALL

On Feb. 17 at 9:01 a.m., Officer Albert Marano was dispatched to 100 Venturi Ave. for a report that a male had fallen from the second floor and landed on the first floor.

Upon arrival, Marano observed that Warwick Fire Department and rescue personnel were working on a male subject. Warwick rescue transported the man to Rhode Island Hospital. Marano was informed by fire department and rescue personnel that they believed the man did not sustain any life-threatening injuries. Marano also spoke with the man briefly, who said he was OK.

Marano then spoke with another man, who had been working with the man when he fell. He told Marano that the two of them were unloading wood off the elevator when he heard the man fall to the bottom floor. He then ran down to check on him and the man told him he was OK.

Marano said the men had been working on a platform that operated like an elevator. Marano saw the wood on the platform, but he did not see any railing or anything to show where the platform ended. To the best of Marano’s belief, the man took one step too many and ran out of room on the platform, which caused him to fall where he landed face down.

The man’s wife was informed of the incident and said she would meet him at the hospital. Marano held the scene until OSHA showed up. He spoke to one of the OSHA employees, who indicated she would take over the investigation and would contact Marano with any further questions.

SHOPLIFTING

On Feb. 15 at 10:51 a.m., Officer Tomas Bogusz was dispatched to the Guitar Center, 1245 Bald Hill Road, on a report of a shoplifting in which a subject entered the store, took a guitar, and then exited the store without paying for the selected merchandise.

Upon arrival, Bogusz met and spoke with the reporting party, who is a sales associate at Guitar Center. She said she came to work at approximately 9:40 a.m. and observed a silver Chevrolet pull up next to her vehicle in the front parking lot. She said the silver Chevrolet was clean with no stickers on the back of the vehicle. She described the driver as an “Hispanic, Spanish, or white male with tan skin and blackish hair.” She described the passenger as “an Asian male with a gray pompom hat and black hair.” She said at approximately 10 a.m., the Asian male entered Guitar Center and selected a guitar from a display and exited the store right away without paying for the merchandise. He then got into the silver Chevrolet. Bogusz said it should be noted that the Asian male got into the passenger seat with the stolen merchandise, and the vehicle then tried to hide, but an associate was able to get the license plate.

The stolen merchandise was identified as a Fender American Stratocaster guitar valued at approximately $1,300. The guitar was entered into NCIC as a stolen item.

Bogusz was unable to make contact with the registered owner of the vehicle. The case was forwarded to detectives for follow-up.

DUI, REFUSAL, ASSAULT & RESISTING ARREST

On Feb. 19 at 5:22 p.m., Officer Stephen Major, along with other members of the Warwick Police Department, was dispatched in an attempt to help Rhode Island State Police locate a green Nissan pickup, which was a suspect vehicle in a hit-and-run accident of an occupied vehicle. The state police described the green pickup as having front-end damage and having last been seen traveling on Route 37 east to Post Road southbound. Major said he was in the area of the Ann & Hope parking lot and proceeded to Post Road south, where he observed a green 1998 Nissan Frontier. As it turned onto Coronado Road, he saw there was front-end damage from the passenger side.

Major quickly initiated a traffic stop, but before he was able to exit his patrol vehicle, the driver, later identified as James M. Gattoni II, 51, of 165 Oakdale St., Apt. 85, Attleboro, Mass., exited his motor vehicle into traffic with his hands raised above his head, did a 360, and reportedly said, “I was not involved in an accident” in a slurred manner. Major said it should be noted, at no time did he mention he was stopping Gattoni for an accident nor did he say “accident” to him. Gattoni was asked to get back in his vehicle due to the fact he was in the lane of traffic, which was heavy in the area at that time of day, and Major feared for Gattoni’s safety. Major said he appeared very unsteady on his feet and was unable to get back in his vehicle on his own.

Major said he exited his vehicle and made contact with Gattoni, who the officer reports had severely bloodshot and watery eyes. Major reports detecting a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. When asked to step from the driver’s side of the vehicle to the sidewalk to get out of traffic, Gattoni is said to have stumbled several times in that short distance. Gattoni reportedly admitted to having one drink.

As Gattoni stood by the passenger side of his vehicle, Major said he was able to observe the front end of the motor vehicle, which had clear and apparent front-end damage. When asked about the accident, Major said Gattoni became very argumentative and again said he was not involved in an accident. He did say he was on Route 37 earlier when asked, but reiterated he was not in an accident. Major said it should be noted the last known location of the suspect vehicle was Route 37 east. He said Gattoni began putting his hands in his pockets and became very upset at being asked about the motor vehicle accident. Major said because Gattoni had denied an accident that was never mentioned, his vehicle fit the description of the suspect vehicle, and the damage was where state police had described it, he had reason to believe Gattoni had committed the crime of leaving the scene of an accident/attended vehicle.

Major advised Gattoni he would be placed under arrest for the hit-and-run of the motor vehicle and the fact he left the scene of an accident with an attended motor vehicle and attempted to place Gattoni into custody, but Gattoni would not give Major his left hand and instead put his left arm in the bed of his pickup truck and prevented Major from handcuffing him. Gattoni was then advised he would be brought to the ground if he continued to resist, which he reportedly did, so Major kicked his leg out from under him and brought him to the ground where Gattoni continued to struggle and resist. With the assistance of other officers, Gattoni was finally placed into custody, but he attempted to mule kick officers as they were trying to place him in a police cruiser and struck an officer. OC spray was then deployed on Gattoni and he eventually settled down.

Major said it was confirmed through state troopers that arrived on scene that Gattoni was in fact the operator and his motor vehicle was involved in the hit-and-run accident with an attended vehicle. Due to his apparent intoxicated state, Major requested Gattoni take a series of field sobriety tests, which he refused. Gattoni was transported to Warwick police headquarters, where he reportedly refused to submit to a chemical test and was turned over the to the jailer for processing.

Gattoni was issued a citation for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (second offense, B.A.C. unknown). He was given a Third District Court date and also issued a citation for refusal to submit to a chemical test, set for a Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal court date. He was issued a District Court summons for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (second offense, B.A.C. unknown), simple assault and battery, and resisting legal or illegal arrest. He was eventually released to his sober mother.

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