Warwick, RI – A witness to a hit and run crash on Metro Center Boulevard Sept. 22 at 4:49 p.m. followed the offending driver to Legal Seafood on Post Road and called the man’s location to police, who caught up to and arrested the man.
Officer James Michailides responded to the call at 300 Metro Center Boulevard, speaking with the victim in the crash. The man told him a car had crossed the double yellow lines in the street and struck his vehicle, but continued east toward Jefferson Boulevard, according to the officer’s report.
Officer Patrick Smith responded to a second call from a man who said he’d witnessed the crash, and had followed the car to Legal Seafood on Post Road. Smith drove to the restaurant, finding a white Buick Lacrosse, unoccupied, in the parking lot in front of the restaurant, the officer reported.
The witness said he’d seen the driver, a wearing a sport coat and tie, get out of the car and enter the restaurant. He said he’d seen the Buick traveling at high speed around a curve on Metro Center Boulevard, crossing into the opposite lane and striking the victim’s vehicle, even though the victim swerved onto the grass to avoid him.
Smith discovered the Buick was registered to Employers Mutual Casualty Co. at 200 Crossing Boulevard. He tried calling the business, but couldn’t reach anyone, according to the report.
Smith reported that three people approached the car while he was waiting nearby, one of whom matched the description of the driver of the Buick. Smith asked the man if he’d been driving the car, and the man said he had. Smith read the man his rights, and the man refused to answer any further questions.
Smith identified the driver as William Arnold, 50, of 81 Castleton Drive, Cranston. Michailides caught up with them and arrested Arnold, and placed him in his cruiser.
Arnold began yelling and asking for a rescue, and one was called to transport him to Kent County Memorial Hospital.
Arnold was charged with failure in his duty to stop after a crash, a misdemeanor, and failure to maintain control of his vehicle, a violation.
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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