Police Log

Johnston Sun Rise ·

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

ARSON

On July 28 at approximately 7:35 p.m., Officer Merrick Cook and Sergeant Joseph McGinn responded to a Simmonsville Avenue address for a vandalism report. At the scene they met with the complainant, who stated that she parked her U-Haul rental truck in front of her building, went inside the building to continue loading the truck and returned to find her upstairs neighbor “Jim” walking away from the truck.

She stated that she looked inside the rear of the truck and saw that her Confederate flag stick, which she had earlier stuck onto the wooden rail inside the rear of the truck, was on fire.

She confronted Jim about the fire and she stated that he told her that he hated “Confederate Flags and Confederate people.” The complainant stated that she observed the flag to be destroyed and the inside right rear wall of the U-Haul to have significant charring from the fire.

The officers then responded to the neighbor’s apartment and were invited inside by the resident, identified as James Arthur Mancini, 58, of 347 Simmonsville Avenue Apt. 309 in Johnston. Mancini allegedly said that he does not like the neighbor and that she is very disrespectful to him. He stated that he went outside and saw a Confederate flag on the side of the truck and thought it would be funny to light it on fire.

Upon this admission, the officers informed Mancini that both the flag and truck were damaged and took him into custody. Mancini was transported to police headquarters where he was held and charged with fourth degree arson, vandalism, and disorderly conduct.

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE CONSPIRACY

While traveling westbound on Hartford Avenue on August 1 around 11 p.m., Officer Arthur Petterutti observed a car traveling at a high rate of speed in the right lane. Officer Petterutti then followed the vehicle for approximately one mile at 50 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone. A traffic stop was then initiated in the parking lot of Town House Flowers at 2555 Hartford Avenue.

The operator was identified as Taylor Tschaikowski, 23, of 981 Danielson Pike in Scituate, while the passenger was identified as Matthew Krzysik, 27, of the same address. While speaking with both occupants, Officer Petteruti reported that he detected a strong odor of fresh marijuana emanating from the interior of the vehicle. Background checks on Tschaikowski were negative, but revealed that Krzysik had two active warrants-one for failure to appear and another for possession of marijuana.

Both occupants were removed from the vehicle, and a vehicle search was conducted. A backpack was located, and inside was a Ziplock bag that contained what appeared to be marijuana. Both Tschaikowski and Krzysik were placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters, where they were both charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and controlled substance conspiracy. Tschaikowski was also issued a citation for speeding and display of plates.

SUSPENDED LICENSE

On August 2 at approximately 11:50 a.m., while on a fixed post in the area of 39 Greenville Avenue, Officers Kayleigh Cooper and Remy Mendez observed a car traveling east with window tint on its side and rear windows. A traffic stop was then initiated in the area of 2 Greenville Avenue.

Contact was then made with the driver, identified as Mason Nieves, 25, of 10 Tuxedo Avenue in Providence. A check on Nieves’s license revealed that it was suspended. He was taken into custody and transported to police headquarters while his car was turned over to a licensed driver. Nieves was charged with driving on a suspended license, third offense, and windshields and windows obscured by nontransparent materials.

*** Officers Nicholas Manocchio and Andrew Broccoli were on a fixed post at Killingly Street and Victor Avenue on August 3 around 1:07 a.m. when they observed a vehicle traveling south with an unlawful install of windshield and window tint.

A traffic stop was conducted and contact was made with the driver, identified as Marvin Taveras, 28, of 98 Putnam Avenue in Johnston. A check of Taveras’s New York license revealed that it was suspended.

Tavares was issued a summons for an unlawful install of windshield and window tint, and released at the scene with a Third District Court summons for driving with a suspended license. He was able to pay the fee for his license on his mobile phone while on scene. Checks then revealed his license was active and that he was able to legally operate the vehicle. He then drove away from the scene without incident.

WARRANT

While patrolling the area of Killingly Street on August 2 around 8:25 p.m., Officers Michael Schiappa and Kevin Brady spotted Yeury Manuel Rodriguez, 30, of 15 Vineyard Street Apt. 410 in Providence, walking north. Officer Brady recognized Rodriguez from prior contacts, and he was aware that Rodriguez was the subject of an active Superior Court bench warrant as well as an active Third District Court warrant.

The officers made contact with Rodriguez and advised him of the outstanding warrants. He was then taken into custody without incident and transported to police headquarters where he was processed. He was later transported to the ACI Men’s Intake.

Rodriguez was also walking with Alicia Murphy, 29, of 15 Vineyard Street in Providence. Checks on Murphy revealed an active Superior Court bench warrant. She was also taken into custody, transported to police headquarters and processed, and later transported to the ACI Women’s Intake.

***

At approximately 10 a.m. on August 1, Officers Kayleigh Cooper and Remy Mendez responded to the area of 1380 Hartford Avenue for a well being check of a male subject. Upon arrival the met with a male party lying on the ground nearby, identified as Gavin Wade Finnerty III, 50, who is homeless.

Background checks on Finnerty revealed an active Superior Court full bench warrant. He was transported to police headquarters and processed, and later transported to Superior Court.