Police rescue man who fled into frigid river
Police arrest a C.F. man who allegedly eluded officers by jumping into Blackstone
PAWTUCKET – A Central Falls man was charged with resisting arrest after he allegedly fled from Pawtucket Police by leaping into the Blackstone River late Wednesday.
Pawtucket Police Officer Greg Martin around 11 p.m. Wednesday observed a white Hyundai Elantra commit an alleged traffic violation and as Martin attempted to stop the car on Taft Street, it continued to drive away before pulling over near the boat ramp.
The vehicle’s driver, identified as 41-year-old Justin Acosta of 545 Pine St. in Central Falls, immediately exited his car and began to approach Martin in “an aggressive way,” police said. The officer ordered Acosta to return to his vehicle, at which point Acosta allegedly turned and ran down the boat ramp before jumping into the frigid Blackstone River, police said.
Martin notified dispatch to request a rescue boat. Acosta swam to the middle of the river and grabbed a floating piece of ice, refusing to come to shore. Police noted he was also shouting, “Just let me kill myself.”
Officers tossed rescue buoys into the water near Acosta and were able to convince him to grab hold. He was eventually pulled to shore, where he was placed into custody then transported to Rhode Island Hospital, police said.
Acosta was charged with resisting arrest and driving with a suspended license, according to police records. He also had five active arrest warrants and was to be considered “armed and dangerous,” police said. His warrants are for domestic strangulation, two fraud charges, domestic strangu- lation by East Providence Police, and reciprocal body attachment warrant for a non-criminal charge.
Acosta was arraigned Thursday morning in Sixth District Court.