Area man accused of evading police with children in backseat
WOONSOCKET –A Pawtucket man who allegedly led police on a motor vehicle chase with three young girls in his car was arrested on child neglect and other charges after police corralled him inside a Vose Street apartment Wednesday.
Heath Tyler Bennett, 37, of 14 Arch St., Pawtucket, was charged with three count of abuse or neglect of a child, reckless driving, obstructing police and third-offense driving on a suspended license. He was also wanted on four bench warrants issued by the Sixth District Court.
Officer Robert Frye was working a Safe Streets detail on Park Avenue shortly before 2 p.m. when he saw Frye drive past him in a gray Honda Civic. Frye recognized Bennett and knew of the existence of the bench warrants.
Frye pulled his cruiser behind the Honda and activated his siren and emergency lights. Instead of stopping, however, Bennett allegedly accelerated. Frye clocked him on Valley Street doing 54 mph in
a 25 mph zone.
Frye and other officers tracked Bennett to his an address where he’s known to have ties – 166 Vose St. They saw him stop the vehicle outside the multifamily residence, get out and enter the house, locking the door behind him.
At least half-dozen police officers surrounded the building while others broke through the door to begin searching it. Police said the door was barricaded from the inside with furniture.
In the kitchen, police said they found the three girls who had been inside the vehicle with Bennett – but no sign of Bennett. The girls were crying, police said, and when they were asked where Ben-
nett was, they told officers he wasn’t home.
As officers continued to search the rambling apartment house with interconnecting units, they encountered the registered owner of the vehicle – Bennett’s cousin– who was sitting on a bed “with his arms crossed staring straight at a wall,” according to a police report. When police tried to obtain information from him about Bennett’s where-
abouts, the cousin claimed he didn’t recall the last time he’d seen him.
It’s not clear from police reports exactly where they found Bennett hiding, but Frye said he saw Detective Lt. Brad Scully with Bennett in handcuffs, outside the residence, after he left the room where he’d spoken to Bennett’s cousin.
Police say the girls who’d been traveling with Bennett were not injured. They were later released to the custody of their mother.
Following an appearance in Sixth District Court, Bennett was ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions pending further action in court.