Clean Driving Record Trips Up Man Arrested for Obstructing Justice

A Bristol man with an outstanding arrest warrant was charged with obstructing justice over the weekend after he allegedly tried to give officers the name and  birth date of a friend during a traffic stop.

John Anthony Almeida, 33, of 18 Wilson St., Apt. #2, Bristol, was arrested around 2:09 p.m. Saturday on a misdemeanor arrest warrant issued from the Sixth District Court in Providence and on charges of driving with a suspended license and obstructing a police officer.

According to the arrest report, Middletown police stopped the car Almeida was driving on West Main Road near Pasture Farm Drive after observing a faulty brake light. During questioning, Almeida allegedly provided the police officer with a false name and birth date, but the officer at the scene became suspicious when the suspect said he had previous moving violations but the background check against the given name revealed a clean driving record.

Almeida admitted he gave the name and birth date of a friend, the police report stated. A second background check using his real name revealed that his driver’s license had been suspended in 2009 and that a warrant had been issued for his arrest after he failed to appear at court.

The reported five other arrests from the weekend of Friday May 13, to Sunday, May 15:

• Police arrested Chad Joseph Ramos, 20, of 122 Reney St., Fall River, around 10:18 p.m. Sunday night on a misdemeanor charge of first offense marijuana possession. According to the arrest report, police stopped the car Ramos was driving on Aquidneck Avenue for allegedly speeding. During questioning, police detected the smell of marijuana in the car and Ramos allegedly handed over a blunt marijuana cigarette from the center console that he said he smoked earlier. Two other passengers were released from the scene.
• Shaun Owen Depina, 22, of 57 Park Holm, Newport, was arrested around 12:13 p.m. Saturday on two outstanding misdemeanor arrest warrants issued from the Second District Court in Newport and the Sixth District Court in Providence. According to the arrest report, police stopped a car for a suspected registration violation and Depina was a passenger.
• Paul Jordan Washburn, 21, of 8 School St., Providence, was arrested around 4:21 p.m. Saturday on an outstanding misdemeanor arrest warrant issued from the Sixth District Court in Providence. According to the arrest report, a Middletown patrol officer located Washburn walking on Beacon Street near West Main Road in response to a Newport Police Department bulletin.
• Melinda K. Davis, 22, of 19 Main Road, Apt. #3, Tiverton, was arrested around 12:23 p.m. on Friday afternoon on an outstanding arrest warrant issued from the Fourth District Court for failing to appear to pay court fees. According to the arrest report, Davis turned herself in at the Middletown Police Station.
• Karen Freitas, 53, of 1235 N. Main Road, Jamestown, was arraigned Friday at the Second District Court in Newport on misdemeanor charges of driving with a revoked Massachusetts license and for allegedly failing to stop after a motor vehicle accident two weeks ago. According to the arrest report, Freitas was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run car accident on May 5 in the BJs Wholesale Club parking lot, left the scene on foot and was later identified in photos by the other driver. On Friday May 13, Freitas reported to court for her arraignment, accompanied by her attorney to answer the charges. She was also cited for having no evidence of auto insurance. No injuries were reported from the May 5 motor vehicle accident.