Chief Perez Confirms Providence Police Not on Atwells Avenue When Motorcycle Incident Took Place

Chief Perez Confirms Providence Police Not on Atwells Avenue When Motorcycle Incident Took Place

Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez confirms to GoLocal that there were no police officers on Atwells Avenue when a motorcyclist raced down the middle of Atwells Avenue at about 11:30 PM on Saturday night during the Festival of St. Joseph.

 

The street was closed to traffic at the time.

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The motorcyclist, Michael Carnevale, age 19, of Johnston, was hit with a garbage can, and then his uncontrolled motorcycle slid down the street, hitting one man and injuring him.

 

 

When Perez was asked if there were Providence Police on duty on Atwells at the time of the incident, the Chief said, “There was nobody out on Atwells. After? 11. No.”

 

Perez said that when the call came in, police were on site within minutes.

 

The festival on Saturday night featured outdoor dining. Organizers assured the Providence Board of Licenses that Providence Police details and private security would ensure the event was properly policed.

 

But the Providence Police details completed their shifts at 11 PM. The feast continued.

 

The organizers of the event, the Federal Hill Commerce Association, through its spokesperson, Rick Simone, told GoLocal in an interview on Sunday, “As with all major events on Federal Hill, there was a significant presence of Providence Police and private security personnel on site. Based on the information provided to us by law enforcement, we are grateful to report that there were no serious injuries resulting from the incident.”

 

But, the police details were gone when the incident and the chaos began.

 

“When you have an isolated incident with a guy that wants to ride a bike in that manner. It's an issue that needs to be addressed. That could have happened anywhere else if you think about it,” said Perez.

 

“At the time of the collision, Atwells Ave was closed to vehicular traffic due to a yearly festival. It is unclear how Carnevale was able to access the street due to the traffic controls that were in place. There were unconfirmed reports that Carevale was operating in a reckless manner, but no one would give an official statement to the police,” according to the Police report.
 

Motorcycle Operator Only Faces Traffic Charges

The driver of the motorcycle was Michael Carnevale, age 19, of Johnston, who sustained minor injuries to his arms, abdomen, and lower body when he fell off his bike after being hit with the garbage can.

 

Carnevale faces a number of traffic violations, but nothing more to date.

 

According to police, a "check of NC/IC determined that Carnevale had an active Rhode Island driver's license. He did not have a motorcycle [license], no insurance, and the registration was expired."

 

Carnevale was issued a "universal summons" to appear in traffic court.

 

Court records show that he is also facing traffic tribunal charges for violations including “operating left of center,” “due care by driver,” and “care in starting from stop.”

 

In addition, Carnevale is being charged with violating “conditions requiring reduced speed” and “reasonable and prudent speed.”

 

Police Have Not Charged "Trash Can Man"

To date, Providence Police have not charged the man who threw the garbage can at Carnevale.

 

See other incidents on Federal Hill below.