Crime & Safety

Police: Woman Orders Puppy to Bite Cop's Bike Tires

Police said the woman also poured sangria on two officers' feet during St. Mary's Feast.

A 28-year-old Cranston woman was charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly pouring her sangria out on two officers’ shoes at St. Mary’s Feast.

Police said Nichole Petrin, of 164 Harvard St., caught the attention of officers responding to the scene of a large crowd of people on Briggs Street who were blocking traffic.

It was around 9:30 on July 22 shortly before the fireworks at Atwood Avenue field and several officers were working bike patrol details.

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In the crowd, Petrin, who was walking her small dog and carrying a red plastic cup, reportedly ordered her dog to bite the tire of Officer Matthew M. Davis’ bike, saying “bite his tires” repeatedly.

Petrin reportedly refused to stop ordering her dog to bite, and when the dog did begin gnawing on the back tire, she laughed, telling officers to “relax” and  “calm down.”

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Police concluded that Petrin was drunk and ordered her to dump out her drink, which police said appeared to be sangria. She did, pouring her drink all over the shoes of Davis and Lt. Stephen Antonucci.

Petrin reportedly “hesitated for a second and then dropped the cup to waist level and deliberately and aggressively poured the red liquid in the cup so that it went all over my shoes as well as Ptlm. Davis’ shoes.,” Antonucci wrote in a police report.

Police believed Petrin went after their shoes to further incite an unruly crowd that had gathered around the unfolding scene, some shouting “leave her alone” and “she didn’t do anything wrong.”

Due to the crowd, the officers radioed for a cruiser to respond to the scene to help manage traffic.

Petrin was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct.

She is due to appear in Third Division District Court Aug. 7 for arraignment. 


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