Witness Says to Abusive Man: 'I Don’t Think So!'

A Newport man was arrested Sunday evening after a Bristol Road resident in Middletown reported seeing a couple get out of a car and fight on her street.

William H. Bettencourt, 24, of 40 Freebody St., Apt. #2, Newport, was arrested Sunday around 7:46 p.m. on a misdemeanor charge of domestic simple assault and battery as a result of the report and investigation.

According to the arrest report, were called to Bristol Road around 5:18 p.m. on Sunday by a resident who alleged that she saw the suspect arguing with a woman on her dead-end street outside a green car that had pulled over. The witness alleged that the man pushed the woman to the ground. As they were fighting, the witness yelled to the suspect, “I don’t think so!” before calling police, according to the arrest report. She provided a partial license plate and vehicle description, as well as a description of the couple before they drove off, according to police.

Around 6:15 p.m., the Newport Police Department informed Middletown investigators they had located the suspect near the intersection of Maple Avenue and Hillside Avenue.

The alleged victim, a 27-year-old Middletown woman, was later located at a residence on Rogers Lane. She told Middletown police investigators that she and Bettencourt had argued while Bettencourt was driving, according to the arrest report. When Bettencourt pulled his car over on Bristol Road, she attempted to retrieve her belongings from the car's trunk when he allegedly pushed her to the ground, resulting in a laceration on her arm, she told police. Investigators reported finding blood in the car on the passenger side door. The woman also told police that she next insisted that he drive her home.

Bettencourt told police that he initially pulled his car over to “pretend to call police” when they were arguing. He claimed that he pushed her away after she allegedly hit him in the face, according to his arrest report.

The Middletown Police Department also reported the following arrests over the weekend of Friday, May 6, through Sunday, May 8:

• David Francis Rossi. 62, of 66 Ferry Landing Circle, Portsmouth, was arrested Sunday around 2:38 a.m. on a misdemeanor first offense charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and refusing to submit to a chemical test to measure blood-alcohol content (BAC). According to the arrest report, police stopped the car he was driving on Aquidneck Avenue near East Main Road after receiving reports of a drunk driver in the area. He was arrested following questioning and a field sobriety test. He was also cited for speeding in excess of 11 miles per hour, according to the arrest record.
• Middletown police arrested Dan A. Brenkman, 52, of 138 Floodbridge Road, Southbury, CT., on Sunday around 4:07 p.m. on a misdemeanor first offense charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. According to the arrest report, police observed his Jeep speeding on West Main Road and stopped his vehicle near Bedlow Avenue. He was arrested following questioning, a field sobriety test, and preliminary BAC breath test in which he allegedly registered a .118, according to the arrest report. Further chemical BAC tests conducted at the Middletown Police Station allegedly registered .115 and .116, according to the arrest report. He was also cited for speeding.
• Middletown police arrested Kenneth A. Louro, 65, of 715 Forest Trailer Park, Middletown, on Friday around 5:52 p.m. on an outstanding arrest warrant issued by his parole officer for allegedly failing a random alcohol test, according to the arrest report. Louro was located at 30A Ludlow Road and arrested without incident, police reported.
• Caitlyn Marie Carey, 19, of 650 Pearce St., Fall River, Mass., was arrested Friday around 3:44 a.m. on a misdemeanor first offense charge of marijuana possession. According to the arrest report, police stopped her car after observing her make an illegal turn on West Main Road near St. Lucy’s Church. Police reported they allegedly observed glossy eyes, smelled marijuana in her car during questioning, and that she showed the police officer a bag of marijuana and smoking pipe inside a brown box from the floor of the car. Three other passengers inside the car were released from the scene, according to the arrest report.