Saturday, February 12, 2011
Winds of Change offers all martial artists the opportunity to participate in a free seminar with world re-known Team Paul Mitchell members!
★ Take the Winds of Change Pledge Now ★
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Source: RI.gov
Governor Donald L. Carcieri today joined Colonel Brendan Doherty, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, Representatives Peter Kilmartin and Donna Walsh, Senator James E. Doyle, II, and members of the Foote family at a ceremony to formally into law H8515Aaa & S2946aa, the “Colin B. Foote Act.”
The legislation creates a habitual offender violation in the traffic tribunal, where it may suspend or revoke the license, for up to one year, of any individual convicted of four separate and distinct, specifically-defined moving violations within an 18-month period. Under the measure, the driver would also face a fine of up to $1,000 and be ordered to attend 60 hours of driving retraining and perform 60 hours of public community restitution. The bill was introduced in response to a recent accident in which a repeat traffic violator killed Colin B. Foote, a motorcycle driver in Charlestown.
“By enacting this law, we are taking the necessary measures to keep repeat traffic offenders from getting behind the wheel, make our roads safer, and better protect our innocent citizens,” said Governor Carcieri. “The Colin Foote Act will close a loophole in our laws and provide the courts with the tools they need to keep those who have a record of driving dangerously time and time again off of our roads. This was a senseless tragedy that broke all of our hearts. Rhode Island is like one big family. When tragedy touches one of us, it touches us all. And as we have so often before during times of sorrow, our community and our government leaders have responded. As we sign this measure today, we honor the memory of Colin Foote, a hardworking, kind and compassionate young man who had so many talents to share with our world.”
“We're grateful that the Governor, the General Assembly, and the citizens of Rhode Island responded decisively to pass Colin's Law in an effort to prevent another family from having to suffer the horrible tragedy we must now endure. Colin died at the hands of a repeat offender of serious traffic violations, and now law enforcement and the judicial system have the tools to prevent another tragedy,” said Colin's father, Robin Foote.
“I applaud Governor Carcieri for signing this bill into law and giving the courts the tools they need to revoke or suspend the licenses of those motorists who have driven irresponsibly and dangerously on more than one occasion. I can only hope that this new law will prevent senseless tragedies like the one that brought this issue to light in the first place,” said Representative Peter Kilmartin, sponsor of the “Colin B. Foote Act.”
Senator James E. Doyle, II, said, “I thank Governor Carcieri, Representatives Kilmartin and Walsh, and, most of all, the Foote family, for their courage and leadership on this important legislation. While nothing we do can take away the pain and suffering of the Foote family, the signing of this legislation will help to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedy. In that way, Colin Foote has made Rhode Island a better place.”
Representative Donna Walsh, co-sponsor of the legislation added, “Tightening traffic laws will ensure that repeat offenders are not given several chances to kill and maim innocent victims. With this new law, giving repeat offenders one more chance is no longer an option. I have known the Foote family, who live in my district, for many years, and my heart goes out to them. We worked so hard for passage of this bill to make sure that Colin's life will never be forgotten.”
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Source: CranstonPolice.com
As a service to our residents and the business community, Cranston Police are proud to announce a partnership with GetCrashReports.com to provide online access to all Cranston Rhode Island crash reports. All crash reports will be available 48 hours after the crash occurs (or sooner if approved) except for Fatal crashes and crashes under investigation. Fatal crash reports must be purchased at the Cranston Police Department.
Read the Full Announcement from Colonel Marco Palumbo Jr., of the Cranston Police Department.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Source: WPRI.com
This week's Street Stories takes you to medium security at the ACI in Cranston for a different kind of program.
A program where students hear from victims of car crashes that many times kill other teens.
See how the students learn from what the inmates teach.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Source: ProJo.com
Friday, May 14, 2010
Source: WPRI.com
By Darren Soens & Danielle North
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) – The mother of a local drunk driving victim uses her own tragic experience to teach teens about the dangers of driving drunk.
On Friday, Cathy Andreozzi joined police and firefighters for a mock drunk driving crash outside Cranston High School West.
Andreozzi's daughter, Tori, was seriously injured in a hit and run crash caused by a drunk driver.
“I labored over the idea, 'Would people be uncomfortable knowing that I was a real victim mom?' But that's the point,” said Andreozzi. “People should be uncomfortable because that discomfort they may have felt today is nothing compared to the real pain and hurt and loss that ensues when there's an alcohol-related tragedy.”
Here is the scenario: It is a bloody scene outside the school. In the mangled wreckage of one car, a mock victim is dead on the scene.
In the other vehicle, two injured victims, one played by Eyewitness News reporter Danielle North, and the other by a high school freshman, wait for help.
“We wanted them to see it as it really happened,” says Cranston Police Chief Marco Palumbo. “The accident, how long it took for emergency personnel to arrive at the scene, the pain that the occupants suffered during that time as the fire personnel cut the roof off the car to get them out.”
And as crews worked to rescue the injured, the mock victims were covered with blankets to protect them from shattered glass.
The “victims” were then put onto stretchers, as a woman screamed in the background.
That woman was Cathy Andreozzi, who hopes her presence would help drive home the message that drunk driving is no laughing matter.
“The choices that they make dictate the moments in their life. And there are no do-overs. No do-overs.”
Cranston police are hoping the students who witnessed the reenactment will remember the chilling scene, before they head out for prom night this weekend.
Extra patrols will be on the streets, to try to ensure that this prom night is a safe one.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Source: State.RI.US
In light of this week’s tragedy in Warwick where 42-year-old Steven Barlow was not wearing a seat belt was thrown from his vehicle and killed, Rep. Douglas W. Gablinske (D-Dist. 68, Bristol, Warren) today held a news conference to discuss his legislation to require all drivers in the state to wear seat belts.
Joining Representative Gablinske were Captain Darren Delaney from the Rhode Island State Police; Michael Lewis, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation; Colonel Joseph P. Moran III, President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association; Beatrice Perez, Program Manager of the Injury Control Program for the Department of Health and Joee Lindbeck from Attorney General Patrick Lynch’s office.
The legislation (2010-H7085) would make the failure to wear a seat belt while operating a motor vehicle a primary offense, rather than a secondary offense. Currently, drivers in Rhode Island can only be cited for failure to wear a seat belt if they are pulled over for another offense.
“This is one of the greatest public safety issues facing our state. It seems like every week we hear a different story about someone who has been killed in a car accident because he or she wasn’t wearing a seat belt,” said Representative Gablinske. “I cannot imagine the pain and frustration that family members of the accident victims must face knowing that maybe, just maybe, if their loved one had worn a seat belt, he or she would be alive today.”
Representative Gablinske said he is aware that the minority community is concerned that his legislation will increase racial profiling by police officers, but he feels that one issue does not directly relate to the other.
“It is important to note that the prevention of racial profiling is parallel in importance to the need to adopt a primary seat belt law. I firmly believe the issues are comparable and compatible, but not linked. Neither one overshadows or overpowers the other,” he said.
Gablinske said his legislation stands to help the minority community. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for African Americans from birth through 14 years of age and the second leading cause of death between the ages of 15 and 24. Car crashes are also the leading cause of death for Hispanics from birth to 34 years of age. Many of these deaths occurred because the driver or passenger was not wearing a seat belt.
“With these staggering statistics, it is safe to say that the minority community desperately needs the primary seat belt law,” he continued.
The bill has the full support of the National Urban League, the ASPIRA Latino Youth Organization, the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, the National Conference of Black Mayors, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and Meharry Medical College.
Moreover, Rhode Island stands to receive approximately $4 million in federal funding for infrastructure and education/outreach programs to help implement the legislation, if it passes. This federal funding would be put, in part, toward ensuring that racial profiling does not occur during traffic stops within Rhode Island.
Representative Gablinske’s bill was introduced on January 12 and has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration. Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Smithfield) has sponsored identical legislation in the Senate, which has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
