Pawtucket Cop Who Shot West Greenwich Teen Charged With Felonies

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Pawtucket police officer who shot a teenage driver outside a West Greenwich pizza shop has been charged with felonies.

Officer Daniel Dolan, Jr. faces three charges of felony assault and/or battery and one count of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence. Dolan is scheduled for arraignment on July 16 in Kent County Superior Court.

Attorney General Peter Neronha unveiled the charges today in the form of a 172-page information packet. During a brief news conference, Neronha said Dolan was not justified in his use of force, notwithstanding his occupation as a police officer.

Because of the felony charges, Dolan will be placed on unpaid leave from the Pawtucket Police Department, Pawtucket police chief Tina Goncalves said. The internal investigation is now on hold until the criminal case is concluded.

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Neronha said that on the evening of June 23, Dominic Vincent, 18, of West Greenwich pulled into the parking lot of Wicked Good Pizza while driving a black Audi. His friends Vincent and Joseph Greco, 18 and 17, were in the car. Dolan, who was off-duty and wearing civilian clothing, appeared in a white pickup truck, cornered the Audi, got out, and shot Vincent through the driver's side window as Vincent tried to drive away.

A lawyer for the teens, James P. Howe, on Monday said the boys had no prior contact with Dolan, did not know he was a police officer, and had done nothing wrong. Security camera video of the incident was leaked to the press by Howe. The lawyer said his clients' rights had been abridged and he is exploring all legal options.

Dolan’s attorney, Michael J. Colucci, released a statement to WPRI saying accounts of the incident provided by the victims and their attorney are “highly disputed” by him and his client.

The City of Pawtucket and Pawtucket Police Department on Thursday released the following statement:

"We appreciate all of the hard work the State Police and Attorney General put into this investigation alongside the West Greenwich Police Department, and their thorough and objective look into this incident. The City of Pawtucket has been awaiting the completion of this investigation in order to take into account all of the facts of the incident and proceed with prompt action in accordance with due process, the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights (LEOBOR), and other legal considerations.

"Due to the charges brought against Dan Dolan, the Pawtucket Police Department will be seeking to suspend him without pay and will continue the ongoing process of assessing what can be done through administrative charges and the LEOBOR process. We appreciate the patience of the community and are working to understand all of the aspects of this case in order to best move forward."

During today's news conference, Neronha said that Dolan is currently in Oklahoma and must show up for his arraignment, or face additional consequences.