![[CREDIT: DeLellis] Robert DeLellis is running for the Coventry Dist. 5 seat in the Special Election Tuesday, Aug. 5.](https://e8dgfhu6pow.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Bob-DeLellis-Dist.-5-Special-Election-1.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1)
![[CREDIT: DeLellis] Robert DeLellis resigned from hiss Coventry Dist. 5 seat Sunday following a DUI arrest last week.](https://e8dgfhu6pow.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Bob-DeLellis-Dist.-5-Special-Election-1-250x228.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1)
Town Manager Dan Parillo confirmed that DeLellis resigned Sunday. DeLellis did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
On Wednesday, RI State Police reported they had stopped and arrested DeLellis early that morning, charging him with Driving Under the Influence of Liquor – BAC Unknown – First Offense; and Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test – First Offense.
DeLellis served short term
Following the resignations of former Dist. 5 Councilman Scott Copley and Dist. 3 Councilman James LeBlanc in April, Coventry held a special election to elect new Town Councillors for each seat. The pair left the Council in protest over stonewalled attempts to access un-redacted invoices for Town Solicitor Stephen Angell’s services concerning the town’s eminent domain taking of Johnson’s Pond last year. DeLellis was one of two unopposed candidates.
DeLellis ran unopposed for the seat in the August special election, winning 91.1 percent of the votes with 41 votes against four write-in ballots. A new special election, the second this year, will now be held to elect a new Dist. 5 council member.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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