Coventry Man Charged With Hitting, Injuring Environmental Officer

WEST GREENWICH, RI — Three men were arrested over the weekend after an Environmental Police Officer was injured in the Big River Management Area on Saturday afternoon. The officer fired his gun after he was hit by a man on a dirt bike.

The incident happened around 12:30 p.m. near the Reynolds Pond access gate. The officer was taken to Kent County Hospital, and the extent of his injuries is unknown. Because he fired his gun, Rhode Island State Police are leading the investigation into the incident.

Unless a person has a special use permit, dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles are banned in state management areas, per Rhode Island regulations, because they can cause ecological damage.

Austin DiPeitro, 22, of Clover Drive in Coventry, was arrested and charged with one count each of the following charges: assaulting a police officer, obstructing a police officer in the execution of duty, failure to stop or move on an oral command of an environmental police officer and reckless driving in an attempt to elude an officer, first offense. He was processed at the Department of Environmental Management's Wickford marine base in North Kingstown and released on $2,000 bail.

Two other men, both from Warwick, were also arrested in connection with the incident. Jonathan C. Maaz, 23, of Montcalm Road was charged with one count each of obstructing a police officer, failure to stop or move on command of an officer and eluding an officer, first offense. He was released on personal recognizance. Tyler Perry, 24, of Lane 4, was charged with one count of obstruction and released on summons to appear in court.

In addition to the criminal charges, all three men also face civil violations for breaking parks rules.

Big River Management Area is an 8,000-acre parcel of land in West Greenwich, owned by the Rhode Island Water Resources Board and managed by the Department of Environmental Management.