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December 18, 2006

Man held on charges tied to Wal-Mart incident

NORTH KINGSTOWN – A Providence man was ordered held without bail today after trying to escape Friday from police who fired several shots at his SUV in a Wal-Mart parking lot.

The man, Robert F. West, 38, of 460 Charles St., Providence, had been arrested Friday evening at the Wal-Mart store at 1031 Ten Rod Road. He was arraigned today in District Court in Wakefield on charges of felony assault on a police officer, three counts of shoplifting, eluding police and resisting arrest, reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.

The incident began as North Kingstown police set up surveillance on the store with Wal-Mart’s loss prevention personnel. Store employees said that a suspect from recent thefts had just walked out.

Officers located West in the parking lot, already inside his SUV. He refused to put his hands up, as police ordered. He took off, speeding toward the exit and a police detective blocking his path.

The officer fired several rounds as West approached him. Neither the officer nor West were hurt.

West got out of the parking lot, but his tires were blown by a Stop Sticks, a tire deflation device, deployed by assisting officers. He was arrested following a brief chase.

-- Journal staff writer Maria Armental

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 5:03 PM | Permalink

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