Newport Police Charge Man with Punching Woman in Face

NEWPORT, RI—A 31-year-old Newport man was charged with domestic simple assault early Wednesday morning for allegedly punching a woman in the face.

Police were dispatched to 2 Dearborn St. at around 11:16 p.m. for a report of a man punching a woman.

A witness said that he heard loud arguing coming from in front of O’Brien’s Pub and then saw a man later identified by police as Renaldo Hollins, 31, of 19.5 Underwood Court, Newport, pick up a woman in a white SUV. The vehicle then pulled over in view of the witness where he saw Hollins argue with the victim before delivering a blow to her face.

A wallet was thrown from the window of the SUV and it left the area.

The wallet contained an ID card with Hollins’ information, according to a police report.

Within a few minutes, police got a 911 call from Hollins’ address. Hollins, according to a recording of the 911 call, said “I’m calling because my wife needs a rescue, the fire department told me to call you cuz I punched her in the face.”

Police responded to the house and the victim had a visible contusion on her left cheek bone, police said.

Police asked what had happened and she said “I fell, I fell. It’s my fault, my heels are too high, I fell.”

There were two other people besides Hollins in the house, according to a police report.

Hollins, however, told police that he did hit her, telling officers ”I mushed her face to make space “ and “I know I shouldn’t have put hands on my wife,” according to the report.

As Hollins was being led out of the house by police, the victim came running out and said Hollins did assault her and “his roommates tried to silence me,” police said.

Hollins was held for arraignment Wednesday.