NORTH SMITHFIELD – A North Smithfield man who was released following a reported domestic assault was arrested again less than one hour later for violation of a no contact order, after returning to the home he shares with the victim for his telephone.
Omar Neftali Lopez Lopez, 33, of North Smithfield was charged with refusal to relinquish a telephone, disorderly conduct, reckless driving, and driving without a license, in addition to the count for assault, and later, the violation.
According to the arrest report, the incident began at 5:46 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 12, when a woman called 911 from The Club at Dowling Village and said she needed police before abruptly hanging up.
Officers arriving at the apartment building witnessed a vehicle fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed and followed the car into the nearby Lowe’s parking lot. The vehicle reportedly began swerving around the center islands before eventually crashing into a handicap parking pole, an island curb, and then a tree.
Lopez, the driver, told officers he did not have a license and was identified by his passport.
At the caller’s apartment, police observed blood smeared on the door, and the woman who answered reportedly had blood on her face. The woman told police she did not speak English, but officers were able to communicate with the help of Google Translate.
The victim said that Lopez, her live-in boyfriend, was drunk and waiting for her in the parking lot of the building when she arrived home. She said Lopez chased her up the stairs of the building and began assaulting her, punching her in the head several times. When she called 911, she said Lopez took her phone, and then fled in her vehicle.
Lopez reportedly had blood on his pants and the palm of his hand, and was taken to the station and held until an interpreter arrived. He was arraigned and released at 9:55 p.m. with a no contact order, and confirmed several times with the translator that he understood the terms, according to police reports.
At 10:43 p.m., the victim’s daughter called police and said that Lopez had returned to the home and was being verbally abusive toward the victim while looking for his cell phone.
Lopez was found by police in parking lot of the complex. He was arrested and presented as a violator, held without bail, and has a status conference scheduled for Monday, Oct. 4.
