Police Beat: Officer Nearly Hit by Drunk Driver

DUI
Police charged Tyra Wilson, 27, of 744 High St., Cumberland, with driving under the influence and refusing a chemical test Nov. 13 after she was stopped for speeding on Plainfield Street around 9 p.m.

Police said Wilson drove by Officer Jason Dagnese as he was conducting a traffic stop at a high rate of speed and came so close to hitting his cruiser, he had to jump on the trunk of his cruiser to avoid getting struck.

Wilson reportedly smelled like alcohol and said she was just going out to pick up a pack of cigarettes. She later failed a field sobriety test.

Police charged Angel Troncosco, 52, of 51 Coyle Ave., Pawtucket, with driving under the influence Nov. 9 at 11:56 a.m.

Police said Troncosco failed a field sobriety test and three breathalyzer tests at police headquarters registered two readings of .222 and one of .226.

Police charged Steven Gaglione, 51, of 21 Redwood Drive, Cranston, with driving under the influence and disorderly conduct Nov. 14 after he allegedly crashed his Chrysler 300 into a fence and a tree in the backyard of the house at 3 Zinnia Drive Nov. 14 around 1 a.m.

According to a police report, witnesses saw Gaglione leave PJ’s Pub and drive north on Pontiac Avenue before swerving wildly on the road and occasionally into oncoming traffic. Gaglione then hit a curb and lost control of his car before ending up in the back yard of the Zinnia Drive house.

Police said when they got to the scene, Gaglione was trapped in his car and was visibly drunk. He later was combative and police were unable to complete a field sobriety test because of his behavior.

Gaglione later reportedly registered a blood alcohol level of .213 after a breath test taken at the hospital.

SUSPENDED
Cranston Police charged Alfred Bailey, 21, of 25 Warwick Ave., West Warwick, with driving with  a suspended license after a traffic stop on Narragansett Boulevard Nov. 11 at 1:10 a.m.

HIT AND RUN
Police charged Muata B. Ross, 35, of 195 Midwood St., Cranston, with driving with a suspended license and leaving the scene of an accident Nov. 12 after he reportedly rear-ended a car turning onto Ausdale Road off Reservoir Avenue.

Police said the driver of the car that was struck caught Ross’ license plate number as he drove away. Police tracked him to his home address, where they found his Oldsmobile with front-end damage matching the description given by the accident victim. The engine was still warm and police were able to match an Oldsmobile emblem found at the scene with a missing emblem on Ross’ car parked in his driveway.

Ross, according to a police report, told police that he left the scene because “he thought nobody was there."

WARRANTS
Police charged Timothy Demond McCollum, 43, of 58 Cleveland Ave., Cranston, with driving with a suspended license and a warrant after a traffic stop on Cleveland Ave. Nov. 9 at around 11:30 p.m.

The reason for the traffic stop was a burnt-out headlight, police said. The responding officer also noted that there were three small children in the back seat without seat belts.

McCollum, according to a police report, told police he was driving a rental car, he knew his license was suspended and the warrants were likely for failing to pay child support. 

Police charged Anna Fernandez, 28, of 183 Legion Way, Cranston, with a warrant Nov. 12 after a routine traffic stop on Park Avenue.

Police said Fernandez was stopped around 12:40 p.m. for an expired inspection sticker. A check of her information showed she had an active warrant out of the  Passaic County Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey for a second-degree conspiracy charge.

Police took Fernandez into custody for extradition to New Jersey. In addition, she was issued summons for the expired sticker, driving an unregistered vehicle and driving without insurance.