Cops 2, Hit-And-Run Suspects 0

Johnston Police this week reported the arrests of two hit-and-run suspects involved in separate incidents.

Police charged Michelle A. Leonardo, 32, of Spring Street, with leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a license on Feb. 8 following an accident on Putnam Pike.

Ptlm. Mark Bairos reported that he arrived at the scene of the accident on Feb. 6 at about 12:30 p.m. and spoke with Ann Hamill, who said that she had been slowing to take a left turn into the 44 Plaza when the car driven by Leonardo struck her car from behind.

Hamill and a witness told Bairos that they saw Leonardo leave the scene of the accident and identified the color, type, and registration plates on Leonardo's car.

Bairos reported that neither Hamill nor her passenger were injured, and that Hamill drove the car from the scene.

About 10 minutes later, Ptlm. Philip Viens saw the vehicle traveling on George Waterman Road and followed it to Leonardo's address.

Viens reported that when he arrived at Leonardo's apartment, he "heard a male yelling inside," and knocked on the door.

The man, later identified as Vincent Leonardo, opened the door and reportedly told Viens: "Come in and take her. She took my car and hit another car on Putnam Ave."

Viens wrote that Michelle Leonardo admitted to the accident and leaving the scene because she did not have a license.

Leonardo was processed at police headquarters and released with a summons to appear in Third District Court for arraignment on Feb. 15.

Man Takes Sister's Escalade, Hits Pole:

On Jan. 29, officers arrested Joseph Paine, 25, of Cranston, after he allegedly drove his sister's 2007 Cadillac Escalade into a utility police near the intersection of Plainfield Street and Morgan Avenue and fled the scene.

Ptlm. Dana Gousie reported that he arrived at about 1 a.m. and saw two men walking away from the accident site. When Gousie approached the men, later identified as Joseph Hubert and Rui Perry, Hubert denied that he had been involved in the accident or has been in the vehicle, according to police reports.

Gousie wrote in his report that Ptlm. Thomas Hayden had found Hubert's driver's license in the back seat of the SUV.

Officers arrested Hubert, whom Gousie described as "highly intoxicated," on a warrant issued by Providence Police and transported him to Johnston police headquarters.

Hubert "refused to answer questions or give a statement regarding the motor vehicle accident," Gousie reported, though Hubert did identify Paine as the driver of the vehicle.

In his report, Hayden wrote that he found the SUV resting against the broken utility pole, with the wires from the pole "dipping low into the roadway."

Hayden wrote that he measured a 40-foot skid mark leading to the collision site, and found a stone wall damaged from the impact.

After checking the SUV's registration, Hayden reported that he tried to contact the listed owner, Jessica Paine, and found a local address in Cranston.

Johnston officers also notified Cranston Police of the accident and requested assistance in locating Joseph Paine.

Lt. Christopher Correia reported that Joseph Paine went to police headquarters at about 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 29 and admitted to driving his sister's SUV into the pole and running away.

Paine was charged with driving with a suspended license, a state misdemeanor; leaving the scene of an accident; and a local ordinance violation of leaving the roadway. At a Feb. 8 arraignment in Third District Court, Paine pleaded not guilty and was released on personal recognizane until a scheduled March 2 pre-trial hearing.