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July 2, 2007

Update: Man accused of assaulting trooper in court

PROVIDENCE – The man accused of critically injuring a state trooper last month was sentenced this morning in Sixth District Court, Providence, to serve five months at the Adult Correctional Institutions on a separate misdemeanor charge.

James D. Proulx, of 2 Danecroft Ave. in Smithfield, pleaded no contest to failing to keep the peace and be of good behavior.

Proulx's plea today was related to a prior misdemeanor charge by the North Providence Police Department for making crank and obscene phone calls. That case had been filed by the court, with the stipulation that Proulx must keep the peace and be on good behavior. If he did not do that, he was subject to court review of that charge, which is why he was in court today, according to Michael J. Healey, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office.

In court today, Proulx's defense attorney said one other misdemeanor and two felony charges are still pending against him. The other misdemeanor is for violating a no contact order against an ex-girlfriend, according to Healey. The two felony charges stem from the attack on the state trooper.

Proulx has been held at the Adult Correctional Institutions on $1 million bail with surety for felony assault and reckless driving, following the incident on June 16 that left trooper Brendan R. Doyle fighting for his life.

Proulx allegedly punched Doyle early that morning after Doyle, then off-duty, confronted him for alleged reckless driving. Doyle fell, struck his head and suffered a serious head injury.

Today, attorneys met in the district court judge’s chambers before the public court hearing, Healey said.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General's Office is moving forward with the felony assault case against Proulx, Healey said. Because the charge is not considered a capital offense, the case does not need to go before a grand jury.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 11:43 AM | Permalink

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