Police Nab Man After Foot Chase on His Birthday in Town Center

On his birthday last Saturday, Nov. 9, a Warwick man led Barrington police on a foot chase through the Town Center shopping area before being captured in the woods behind the Shaw’s supermarket and arrested at taser point.

John J. McGrath, 37, of Post Road, now faces charges of resisting arrest and receiving stolen goods – a stolen license plate on his vehicle that is registered to another owner. 

McGrath was recognized by a Barrington patrol officer through a past encounter that led to his arrest for having a stolen license plate on a motorcycle, said Barrington Police Chief John LaCross. His vehicle was pulled over around 9:50 am near Bank of America on County Road. 

A check with the RI motor vehicle division found that the license plate on his Toyota was registered to another Toyota vehicle. McGrath said he purchased the car with the stolen license plate, LaCross said.

While the officer was running the plate, said LaCross, McGrath allegedly left the car and entered the nearby Dunkin’ Donuts The patrol officer went inside the Dunkin’s Donuts to find McGrath.

McGrath was not found inside the restaurant. But the officer spotted him walking behind a nearby nail salon heading north on Wood Avenue toward the Webster Bank. 

The officer yelled for him to stop. He allegedly refused and began walking faster, said LaCross. The police officer pursued him on County Road and back toward Wood Avenue before McGrath stopped.

The officer found no identification on McGrath, LaCross said, and no proof of ownership of the car. McGrath then "pushed away" from the officer and headed south toward the supermarket through the new Coastal Common shopping plaza on the corner of Wood and Anoka avenues.

The police officer followed him on foot through the plaza, behind the Shaw’s and into the wooded area. He found McGrath on his knees at taser point in the custody of another patrol officer who had been called to respond to the chase.

McGrath was taken to the police station to be arraigned by a justice of the peace. He was released on bail and given a date to appear in District Court to face the charges.