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West Shore Road Motorcycle, SUV Crash Seriously Inures Motorcyclist

[CREDIT: Justin Suttles] A motorcycle and SUV crashed on West Shore Road Saturday night. Police are investigating the incident.
[CREDIT: Justin Suttles] A motorcycle and SUV crashed on West Shore Road Saturday night. Police are investigating the incident.
[CREDIT: WPD] Police held Brian Larkin on charges of Duty to Stop in Accident Resulting in Personal Injury and DUI Serious Bodily Injury Resulting.
[CREDIT: WPD] Police held Brian Larkin on charges of Duty to Stop in Accident Resulting in Personal Injury and DUI Serious Bodily Injury Resulting.
UPDATE June 12, 9:15 a.m.: Warwick Police have identified the motorcyclist injured in Saturday night’s crash as Steven Watkins, 33, of Warner Brook Rd in Warwick.

Watkins remains in critical condition at RI Hospital where he is receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the crash.

WARWICK, R.I. — Warwick Police are investigating a motorcycle crash with an SUV that seriously injured a 33-year-old Warwick motorcyclist and resulted in the arrest of the 48-year-old Warwick SUV driver at about 10:05 p.m. Saturday night near 1919 West Shore Road in front of the Elks Lodge.

Warwick Police report they are investigating the crash, during which the motorcyclist was critically injured. The driver of the SUV fled the scene, police said.

Justin Suttles was on his way to Oakland Beach on West Shore Road at that time when a police presence blocking the road alerted him to the recent crash. He parked his car and walked toward the scene, finding a Harley Sportster in the road, with police vehicles and officers surrounding it.

Justin, concerned for his father, Tim, who was riding his own motorcycle in the area, called to check on him.

The elder Suttles, who was parked at Meadowbrook Plaza, on Warwick Avenue had just finished talking to his son about the crash when he spotted a black SUV pull into the parking lot, the vehicle making a strange noise.

“He pulled into the parking lot and got out of his car and he was pushing on the fender,” Tim said.

The man got back into the SUV and drove behind the building. A few moments later, he said, police cruisers drove into the lot and followed the SUV behind the building. He took the opportunity to tell the officers what he saw, and made a statement that the man had been aware he had struck something with his car.

Police report the SUV was located in the Meadowbrook Plaza lot after witnesses contacted them to report its location. Police took the driver of the SUV was taken into custody without incident, according to police.

Police identified the SUV driver as Brian Larkin, 48 years of age, from Natick Ave in Warwick. Officers charged him with Duty to Stop in Accident Resulting in Personal Injury and DUI Serious Bodily Injury Resulting. He will be appearing before a bail commissioner (Justice of the Peace) on 06/11/17 at the Warwick Police Department Headquarters for arraignment on those charges.

The victim’s name is being withheld at this time pending notification of his next of kin.

Warwick Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying any witnesses to the crash. Anyone with information relevant to the accident is being asked to contact the Warwick Police Traffic Unit at 401-468-4200.

Rob Borkowski
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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