A Cranston man who has been driving an ATV on public roads prompting numerous complaints has been caught. And it turns out he had a suspended license.
Cranston Police also charged John Joseph Vallante, 24, of 81 Burnside St., with obstruction of justice after he insisted his last name was Valentine, spelling it out to Officer Ross Manzotti letter by letter in an apparent effort to avoid the suspended license charge.
Manzotti reported that he was on routine patrol when a man flagged him down and began pointing north on Julia Street stating "there he is! There he is!"
He was pointing off in the distance to Vallante, who police tried to stop before and has been irritating neighbors and alarming motorists for some time.
As Vallante approached, Manzotti used his flashlight in strobe mode and yelled for him to stop.
But Vallante quickly turned onto a side street and Manzotti could hear him revving his engine as he sped away "at a high rate of speed."
Manzotti caught up with Vallante on Burnside Street, who was heading directly at him. He turned on his sirens when Vallante "made a quick maneuver just prior to my location driving over the front lawn of 81 Burnside Street, through the driveway" and "pulled into the garage which was open and then closed the garage behind him as I was approaching."
Vallante, who told Manzotti his name was John Valentine, reportedly denied driving the ATV, telling Manzotti "I did not take off, I didn't even see you. You have nothing on me son."
But when a records check in his cruiser turned up nothing on the name, Manzotti checked records off the home address and quickly found Vallante's name and a prior suspended license charge.
Vallante was arraigned in Third Division District Court and was released on $1,000 personal recognizance.
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