WARWICK, RI — A shocking murder-suicide, an historic drug bust, and a tragic hit-and-run lead the list of Warwickpost.com’s most-read 2024 police stories.
Here are the top 5 police articles for the year:
Top 2024 police stories
Two Dead Following Frawley Street Shooting
In March, a local man apparently shot and killed his four-year-old son before committing suicide, according to Warwick Police. Officials later identified the man as 33-year-old Seamus Dempsey and the child as his son, Liam. The shooting drew a large police presence to the area, and Lippitt Elementary School and Warwick Veterans Memorial Middle School were put under shelter-in-place orders while officers responded to the scene.
Officers Wrest Concealed Dildo From DUI Suspect
Warwick Police officers struck a man in the face and used pepper spray to subdue him after he failed to follow their orders during a March 30 incident. Tyler Hopkins, 40, of 98 Peerless St., Cranston, was charged with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, resisting arrest, and refusing to submit to a chemical test after officers reported that they found him sitting in his car, revving the engine at about 9 p.m. Ofc. Michael Bailey wrote in his report that he saw Hopkins reach for something in his waistband, causing Bailey to think that he had a weapon.
Police reports state that Hopkins refused to shut off the car and get out of the it when asked, and when two officers tried to pull him out, he tried to grab one of their sidearms. During the incident, an “anatomically correct rubber replica of a male penis” fell out of Hopkins’s pants, officers reported.
Warwick Men Arrested in ‘Significant’ RISP Drug Bust
Two Warwick men were among five arrested in what Rhode Island State Police termed one of the largest single-day weapons and drug seizures in its history. Local, state, and federal law enforcement concluded a months-long investigation with the Feb. 15 arrests of Justin Bernard, 29, of 212 Kilvert St., Fredy Montilla, 41, of 27 Forrest St., Apartment #B, and three other men. Officials also seized 33 kg (73 lbs.) of fentanyl; 7.7 kg (17 lbs.) of marijuana; 4.5 kg (10 lbs.) of cocaine; 3.3 kg (7.2 lbs.) of methamphetamine; 170 grams (6 oz.) of heroin; and several firearms.
Spitting Patient Faces Kent Hospital Guard Assault Charge
Warwick Police arrested a Cranston man on April 7 for spitting on a Kent Hospital guard. Security staff at the hospital told officers that Robert Corry, 35, of 105 Weber Ave., Cranston, had refused to leave the hospital and had spit on the security guard. Corry was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault.
WPD: Hit & Run Jeep Driver Ran Over, Killed Man on Quaker Lane
The driver of a Jeep that struck two people on Quaker Lane July 28 is currently awaiting trial in the hit-and-run case, which left one person dead and the other severely injured. Warwick and North Kingstown Police arrested Dannys L. De Jesus Marcano, of North Kingstown, on Aug. 2 after a witness identified his vehicle. According to police reports, the car driven by Logan Barboza, 26, of West Warwick, had just struck Nicholas Cote, 44, of Warwick, leading Barboza to get out of her vehicle to check on him when Marcano’s vehicle struck both of them.
Cote died at the scene. Marcano faces one count each of failing to stop after an accident, death resulting, and failing to stop after an accident, serious bodily injury resulting.
Author: Joe Hutnak - [email protected]
Co-Founder and Editor-at-Large of Warwick Post. For Warwick Post-related inquiries or communications, email [email protected]
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