WARWICK, R.I. — Warwick Police were called to 69 Timberline Road April 18 at 1:39 p.m. for a report of a disturbance, arresting a 21-year-old man living there after witnessing him slap a coffee cup out of an elderly man’s grasp and tackling him.
Police arrested Gino Paolella, 21, who lived at the address, charging him with assault of a person over 60 years of age, a felony, according to Officer Jeffrey Taranto’s report.
While en route to the address, dispatch advised the person reporting the disturbance was upset and wanted to obtain a restraining order against the person involved. Upon arriving, Taranto found officers Thomas Greene and Mello already on the scene, speaking with the woman, 55, who had reported the disturbance and a witness, respectively. The three officers were later joined by WPD Sgt. Robert Palumbo.
The officers spoke with the woman who had made the call and an older man who had just returned to the home after getting a coffee and a paper. The older man, Taranto reported, was holding the coffee cup in one hand as they spoke.
Shortly after, Paolella arrived, and began arguing with the older man, whom he accused of calling the woman a “b**ch”, according to the report. Paolellaknocked the coffee cup out of the older man’s hand and tackled him, attempting to punch him, but Taranto and Greene intervened and restrained him, according to the report.
Paoella told the older man he should not talk to the woman like that. The older man said Paolella had no respect for his parents, according to Taranto’s report.
Taranto handcuffed Paolella and placed him in his cruiser, then transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he was charged with assault of a person older than 60 years/bodily injury, a felony.
Greene contacted the RI Office of Elderly Affairs about the assault.
Paolella was scheduled for a screening in Third District Court for July 22, and released on $5,000 personal recognizance, with a no-contact order preventing contact with the victim.
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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