Wyatt Detention Facility correctional officer put on leave after truck drives into protesters

Wyatt Detention Facility correctional officer put on leave after truck drives into protesters; 64-year-old Warren man seriously injured


CENTRAL FALLS — Officials at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility have placed a correctional officer on administrative leave after a pickup truck drove into protesters who were blocking the entrance to the facility’s employee parking lot Wednesday night.

Protest organizers said a 64-year-old man suffered a broken leg, internal bleeding and possibly a back injury. Amy Anthony, spokeswoman for Never Again Action, identified the man as Jerry Belair, of Warren.

She said another person, whom she could not identify, was also injured by the truck. She said three others — whom she identified as Christian Andrade, 74-year-old Ellen Bar-Zemer, and Evan Leferriere — were treated due to pepper spray that appeared to have been used by officers to disperse the crowd of protesters. She said that all five people had been released from the hospital by Thursday afternoon.

Telemundo said that one of its reporters, Cindy Bernal, was also hit by pepper spray that drifted toward a news van.

In a news release, Wyatt identified the officer on leave as Capt. Thomas Woodworth. A spokesman for the jail would not say whether Woodworth was the man driving the truck, but in video of the incident, protesters could be heard shouting his name as they surrounded the vehicle after it came to a stop.

Read more: https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20190815/wyatt-detention-facility-correctional-officer-put-on-leave-after-truck-drives-into-protesters-64-year-old-warren-man-seriously-injured