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March 21, 2007

W. Warwick man accused of threatening Carcieri

PROVIDENCE – Mad about what he was reading and hearing about Governor Carcieri’s performance at the State House, a West Warwick man picked up the phone Friday evening and left two nasty messages at the constituent affairs office to let the governor know how he felt.

“I would kill you if I could,” said Robert Pontarelli, 59, according to the state police. “You never had a round pass over your head.”

Then, Pontarelli left his name and phone number for a return call. Both were helpful when the state police came to arrest him at his apartment this morning.

It was unclear what, exactly, infuriated Pontarelli into making two furious phone calls, said Maj. Steven O’Donnell. Pontarelli also confessed to being intoxicated when he dialed the phone, O’Donnell said.

The state office workers heard the messages when they came back to work on Monday morning, and then called the police yesterday, said Capt. Steven Lynch.

Pontarelli, of 565 Quaker Lane, Apt. 80, in West Warwick, was charged today with making threats to a public official, a felony, and making harassing phone calls. He was released on $25,000 recognizance bail with an order not to contact Carcieri, Lynch said.

The governor’s spokesman said Carcieri had no comment on the incident and referred questions to the state police.

-- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 4:54 PM | Permalink

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Karen Teague | March 21, 2007 10:05 PM link

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