Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE -- The state police said today that two snowplow drivers helped protect a man who was walking early Sunday morning on the right shoulder of Route 95 south, in the area near the Atwells Avenue exit -- in the middle of the weekend's snowstorm.

Snowplow drivers Kenneth Bruno, 24, of North Providence, and Walter Belonos, 27, from Providence, each called the state police around 1:20 a.m. and then pulled their plows over to block the man from traffic to prevent him from getting struck by passing vehicles, State Police Lt. Steven Lefebvre said.

When the state troopers arrived at the scene, Lefebvre said the man's pants were down to his ankles, and he appeared to be "heavily intoxicated and somewhat incoherent." As the police attempted to remove him from the highway, the man became "belligerent and combative," Lefebvre said.

The man -- identified as Charles Riggen, 24, of 35 Clinton St. in Johnston -- was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault on a police officer, all of which are misdemeanors. As the police attempted to find someone who could take Riggen from the barracks after he was arraigned, they learned he had been drinking at a residence and left there with a friend. The two apparently argued, and the friend kicked Riggen out of his car on Atwells Avenue.

"He somehow made his way onto the highway," Lefebvre explained.

 Tags  intoxicated walker Rhode Island State Police snowstorm

Comments

Kma Hep said:

Kudos to Mr Bruno and Mr Belonos. You have compassionate hearts!

Link | January 12, 2009 5:15 PM
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