Police: Driver hit bicyclist in Newport, caught in Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH — Jeffrey G. Bucci, 36, of 61 Almy Knoll Terrace, was arrested shortly before 6 p.m. on April 18 on charges of assault, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and resisting arrest.

Police said that around 5:30 p.m., they were notified to be on the lookout for a silver Toyota Tacoma pickup truck that had struck and injured a bicyclist in Newport and left the scene without stopping.

Portsmouth Police spotted the truck traveling north on Jepson Lane but the driver eluded police, running a stop sign in the process before turning into his driveway as the garage door started to open, according to police.

Mr. Bucci got out and began walking toward the open garage but police ordered him back into his vehicle, police said. He then turned and took a step toward an officer with a clenched fist and said, “Don’t touch me,” according to police.

A struggle ensued and when Mr. Bucci allegedly shoved the officer, he was taken down onto the ground, police said. Police said there was alcohol on Mr. Bucci’s breath and his eyes were bloodshot, watery and glassy.

Newport Police, which reported that Mr. Bucci had slammed on his brakes and caused a bicyclist to crash into his tailgate on Ocean Drive, charged him with reckless driving and disorderly conduct. 

Here are some other highlights from the Portsmouth Police reports from over the past week:

Tuesday, April 18

Jennifer J. Carruba, 36, of 22 Morgan St., was charged with driving without an active license shortly after 11 a.m. Police said they stopped Ms. Carruba’s car on Morgan Street because she failed to use a turn signal and there were multiple large items hanging from the rear-view mirror.

Wednesday, April 19

Giuseppe Carisi, 28, of 026 Brown Lane, Prudence Island, was charged at 8:37 a.m. with driving after his license had been denied, suspended or revoked. The charges were levied following a single-car accident in the area of Daniel and Homestead avenues in which Mr. Carisi was injured and transported to a hospital. 

Thursday, April 20

Germaine C. Edelen, 39, of 18 Maggie Lane, was arrested at 11 a.m. on a charge of domestic assault in connection with an incident that took place April 17. On that date around 1 p.m., an officer responded to the Subway on West Main Road, near Russo Road, for a report of an alleged assault that had just taken place. A male witness told police that when he drove into the parking lot, a woman ran over to him and asked for help. Then a man grabbed the woman by her face and slammed her onto the pavement, the witness told police. The witness said the suspect drove away in his car but he snapped a photo of the vehicle’s license plate. A nearby business also had a video of the incident which helped police identify Mr. Edelen and victim, police said. 

Sunday, April 23

Police investigated a complaint by an East Main Road man that his mailbox had been stolen sometime between 7 p.m. on April 22 and 8 a.m. on April 23. Police said the post was completely intact and undamaged, but the mailbox itself was gone. It didn’t appear that the post had been struck by anything and there was no debris in the area, police said. The black mailbox, with a door on the front and back, was valued at about $40.