Woman Who Ran into St. Rocco School Gets 20 Days

The Providence woman who led a police officer on a foot chase into St. Rocco School after a car accident on June 7 served 20 days in prison for reckless driving, according to online court records.

Courtney Jean Roderick, 26, remains held at the ACI awaiting sentencing for violating terms of probation set in a 2008 breaking-and-entering charge brought by Tiverton Police.

On Aug. 23, Judge Frank Cenerini imposed the 20-day jail term, along with 345 days' probation and a 345-day suspended sentence, on the reckless driving charge. Cenerini dismissed charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer, and leaving the scene of an accident, property damage resulting.

The same day, Judge Walter Stone ordered Roderick held on the probation violation. She is next due for sentencing on Oct. 17.

According to Johnston Police, Roderick's car had struck a utility pole at Atwood Avenue and Plainfield Street around 2:25 p.m. on June 7. In trying to flee the scene, Roderick then apparently drove her 1998 Plymouth Neon into an 18-wheeler truck.

Ptlm. Stephen Altomari witnessed the second collision, and reported that when he went to the scene, Roderick got out of her car and ran toward St. Rocco School.

Roderick ran into the rear parking lot of St. Rocco Church, with Altomari in pursuit, before running across the front yard of  the school and into the building through the open front door, where a group of students and staffers were gathered for afternoon dismissal.

Police later said that Roderick ran into the boys' lavatory, and suspected that she may have been trying to flush drugs down the toilet, but did not find any drugs at the school, or during a strip-search at police headquarters.