Police Union Finances Under scrutiny, Man Charged With Raping Child, and More: RI Patch Today

By PATRICK LUCE (Patch Staff)

A Cranston man is charged with raping a child, a local police union finances are under scrutiny, and bottles flying from cars tend to attract police attention. These re just some of the stories on RI Patch today.

A 47-year-old Cranston man was indicted last week by the Providence County Grand Jury on charges of child rape and molestation. The child was reportedly under 14. Read the full story here.

Questions are circulating over the use of money in accounts held by the union that represents Newport police officers. The union has reportedly secured the services of an independent firm to conduct a forensic audit of the union’s books after the discovery of between $100,000 and $200,000 was possibly used for questionable expenses.

A report of an erratic driver with passengers flinging beer bottles from the car on Thursday afternoon led to North Kingstown police arresting a group of people from Massachusetts on a variety of charges including driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, obstruction of justice, public drunkenness and indecent exposure.

Thousands of spectators lined Hope and High streets Saturday morning as the oldest 4th of July Parade in the country made its way through the historic town for the 230th consecutive year.