Man's Search for Jumper Cables in Newport Leads to Disorderly Arrest

NEWPORT, RI—A North Kingstown man knocking on doors in the search for someone with jumper cables early Wednesday morning ended up arrested by Newport police for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Police said Makiel Nunes, 21, of 166 Butternut St., came to the attention of police at around 2 a.m. when several residents on Lee Avenue called police to report a suspicious man pounding on people’s doors.

Police arrived and found Nunes walking south on Thames Street. He said that he was looking for jumper cables.

Police said he showed signs of being intoxicated and became agitated when the officer asked him questions, according to a police report.

Nunes said he wasn’t committing any crime and “began to throw his arms in the air and pace around the Wellington Condominium parking lot,” police said.

Police then told Nunes to call a friend for a ride and to stop knocking on people’s doors, to which he allegedly said he could do “whatever he wants” and “told us to focus on more important matters, like ISIS,” the police report stated.

Nunes then was told to walk away from the area if he wasn’t going to call a friend, which reportedly caused him to become very upset. He became verbally abusive, police said, and said he “hated cops” and started swearing at police.

Finally, Nunes reportedly started walking away, but after the officer told him to not knock on any doors one last time, he allegedly turned around, clenched his fists and yelled.

Nunes was eventually arrested for disorderly conduct. Police said he remained combative as police tried to get him into the police cruiser.

Once at police headquarters, he allegedly threw toilet paper at the camera in a holding cell, blocking the camera. He then was transported to a different cell, which began to flood.

Police turned the water off to stop the flooding.

Nunes was held overnight for arraignment Wednesday in Second Division District Court where he pleaded innocent. He was released on personal recognizance and is due to return to court on Jan. 13 for a pretrial conference.