WARWICK, RI — Warwick Police were called to Conimicut Point Beach, 2 Point Ave., July 4 at 10 :16 p.m. for a large brush fire set off by illegal fireworks, aerial, arresting the two men.
At the beach, police were quickly directed by witnesses to two men they said had lit the illegal fireworks and the resulting fire, who were still standing by a red truck, according to the report of Officer Conor Bemis.
Bemis also noted a roughly 50-ft. radius of burned ground near the northern point of the beach, opposite the public restrooms, according to the officer’s report. Nearby, Bemis saw a large amount of spent aerial illegalfireworks, which were all smoking. He also saw a white trash bag with a large amount of unused fireworks, according to the officer’s report. Next to that, he saw a second bag containing fuses, a lighter and assorted trash.
As the fire was contained, Warwick firefighters approached the officers and let them know that several witnesses had pointed them to the two men in a red truck who had set off the illegal fireworks and likely started the fire, according to the report. As Bemis and the firefighters spoke, several people in the parking lot pointed at the two men, yelling, “It’s the guys by the red truck that did it,” according to the report.
Bemis also spoke with a witness who reported seeing the men leaving the truck with the fireworks down a path to where she saw the fireworks launch from, then start the fire. Then immediately, she said, the men returned to their truck and attempted to leave.
Bemis spoke with the men, identified as brothers Dennis Sanford, 44, of 779 Chalkstone Ave., Providence, RI and Warren Sanford, 46, of 10 Fletcher Ave., FL2, Cranston, RI. As he approached, Bemis reported, the men each attempted to leave in their respective vehicles, but stopped when he ordered them to halt and exit their vehicles.
Both men claimed to only have been watching fireworks, Bemis reported.
Bemis arrested Dennis and transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he charged them each with possession or display of aerial fireworks, a misdemeanor.
Officer Sara Goes arrested Warren and transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he charged them each with possession or display of aerial fireworks, a misdemeanor.
Police also confiscated 18 aerial fireworks, 14 non-aerial fireworks, fireworks fuses and a lighter.
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 [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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