Woonsocket Police Arrest Trio in Buick Fleeing Scene of Disturbance

Woonsocket Police responded to the Back Street Bar at 33 Arnold St. July 7 for reports of a disturbance involving armed men, chasing and catching three after they fled in a white sedan, endangering an officer and about 100 bystanders.

At about 5:25 a.m. that day, Officers James Dybala, Matthew Bourgoin and Patrick McGourty arrived at the address, where several callers had reported a disturbance. One caller had reported there were men in a white sedan armed with guns, according to McGourty's report.
 
McGourty, the first officer to arrive, saw three men get into a white Buick sedan, which then started up. The men appeared to be in an argument with the crowd.  Bourgoin arrived shortly after, approaching the car on foot, yelling at the men to stop their car. Instead, the driver sped up, nearly striking Bourgoin and continuing toward the exit of the parking lot, jeopardizing the lives and safety of several patrons exiting the bars at the time, about 100 people, according to McGourty's report.  

McGourty followed the Buick with lights and siren on, arriving at the exit in his cruiser simultaneously with the car, which continued, striking the curb and blowing out a tire before continuing toward Market Square, passing vehicles before pulling over to the side of the road.

McGourty got out of his cruiser and approached the Buick with his weapon drawn, ordering the men inside to put up their hands. The two men in the front did so, but the back seat passenger did not. McGourty opened the rear passenger door to get a view of the rear passenger's hands, and the man, later identified as Juan Caballero, 22, of 37 Memorial Drive, lunged at him, grabbing for his weapon. McGourty held his weapon out of reach and grabbed the man, pulling him to the ground. 

Several officers arrived to assist, including Dybala and Bourgoin, as Caballaro-Diaz continued to struggle. McGourty, who suspected the man was reaching for a gun, tasered him, giving the officer the opportunity to handcuff him. 

Bourgoin opened the front passenger's door, telling the front passenger, later identified as Joel Melendez-Corales, 25, of 168 S. Main St., Apt. 1B, to exit the vehicle, according to his report. Melendez Corales didn't comply, saying, "I didn't do anything," according to the report, and Bourgoin pulled him from the vehicle, forcing him to the ground handcuffing him after a struggle and asking several times for the man's right arm.

Dybala opened the front driver's door, asking the driver, later identified as Josue Gomez-Sanchez, 20, of 79 Rockridge Drive, Apt. F, to get out. Gomez-Sanchez just sat in the car, according to Dybala's report, hands in lap. Dybala removed him from the car and put him on the ground, handcuffing him. 

Gomez-Sanchez was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon (the Buick), reckless driving and disorderly conduct. 

Melendez-Corales was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Caballero was charged with simple assault, obstructing an officer,  disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.