Police Beat: Unbuckled Kids, Obstruction, Suspended Licenses

VIOLATIONS
A 31-year-old Providence woman was cited by Cranston Police Aug. 10 for driving through a stop sign and transporting children who were not properly buckled up.

Police said Janet Johnson, of 380 Potter Ave., Providence, was observed by an officer monitoring the four-way stop sign at the intersection of Farmington and Princess Avenues as she drove through a stop sign.

Once stopped, police soon discovered that Johnson’s car was unregistered and there were four people in the car with just one secured by a seat belt — a toddler in the back.

Two young children were sitting in the rear hatch portion of the car on the floorboard of the vehicle without seatbelts.

Police said they towed Johnson’s car and issued her summons for transporting passengers under 12 without wearing seat belts, failing to stop at a stop sign, driving an unregistered vehicle, failing to possess registration paperwork and driving an uninspected vehicle.

She is due to appear at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal on Sept. 19.

SUSPENDED
Cranston Police charged Jose Minaya, 43, of 124J Fillmore St., Providence, with driving with a suspended license Aug. 10 after a routine check of his license plate by an officer on routine patrol on Broad Street.

Police said they saw Minaya drive by in a green BMW with multiple registration stickers on his license plate. A check of the plate number showed Minaya had a suspended license.

Once stopped, Minaya said he wasn’t aware that his license was suspended. He also couldn’t produce an active insurance card.

Police issued summonses for driving with a suspended license, improper display of license plates and driving without evidence of insurance.

He was released at the scene.

Police charged Yaime Vistel, 28, of 501 Reservoir Ave., Cranston, with driving with a suspended license and obstruction of justice Aug. 10 after she was clocked speeding on Reservoir Avenue.

According to police, an officer driving an unmarked vehicle was passed by Vistel on Reservoir Avenue in the right lane. He clocked her at 55 mph in the 35 mph zone.

Once stopped, Vistel allegedly told police she was 19-years-old but gave a conflicting birth date. Officers took her into custody for obstruction. A few moments later, a passer-by who knew Vistel reportedly told police her real name and said she was probably scared because her license was suspended. When presented with that information, Vistel admitted she had originally told police her sister’s name.

Vistel was transported to the Adult Correctional Institutions on two warrants for failing to appear in court on unrelated charges.

OBSTRUCTION
Cranston Police charged Judith Sue Halpern, 51, of 151 Franklin St., Cranston, with obstruction of justice and a warrant Aug. 12 for allegedly lying to police when they asked for her identification as she sat in a car in front of Stadium School Aug. 12.

Police said Halpern was sitting in a black Volvo and when asked what she was doing by police, she said “nothing much.”

Halpern first identified herself as a woman with a different name.

Police managed to get Halpern to provide her true identity after a few more minutes of questioning. She allegedly told police a different name because she was worried about an outstanding Superior Court warrant on an unrelated charge.

Halpern was taken into custody without incident.

UNREGISTERED
Police issued a traffic court summons to Ryan Shanley, 37, of 30 Radcliff Ave., Providence, after he allegedly was caught driving an unregistered Honda Pilot on Aug. 11.

Police said they towed the vehicle from the scene.

SUSPENDED
Cranston Police charged Nelson Augosto Torres, 19, of 258 Central St., Central Falls, with driving with a suspended license Aug. 17 after he allegedly drove through the intersection of Pontiac and Park Avenues without stopping at a red light.

Police said a routine check of Torres’ plates showed his license was suspended.

He also was issued a summons for failing to obey a traffic light.

On Aug. 17, police charged Vincente Santiago, 41, of 40 Sackett St., Providence, with driving with a suspended license after he was clocked driving 50 mph on Wellington Avenue.

Police said Santiago said he had no idea that his license was suspended and he wouldn’t have been driving had he known it was. He was issued a court summons for driving with a suspended license and was released at the scene.

FOUND BICYCLE
Cranston Police reported they found a 10-speed Huffy lying on the ground near Maplewood and Everly Street Aug. 17.

The bike had a Team America sticker on it and was placed in storage at police headquarters on Garfield Avenue.

SHOPLIFTING
Police said Shannon L. Pereira, 24, of 102 Laban St., Providence, was caught shoplifting beef, infant formula coffee creamer and clothing from the Plainfield Pike Walmart Aug. 17.

Police said she was charged with shoplifting and a warrant after she was apprehended by store security in the parking lot. She was taken into custody by Cranston Police upon their arrival without incident.