R.I. Pol Accused of Verbally Abusing Yacht Club Manager

Warwick Rep. Joseph Trillo is known for being a vocal member of the Rhode Island General Assembly, but in two incidents this summer, he allegedly became verbally abusive to an employee of East Greenwich Yacht Club, hurling expletives in front of small children.

Matthew Jarbeau, the yacht club’s manager, told police on Aug. 18 that he wanted to file a report documenting two incidents involving alleged verbal abuse from Trillo.

The first incident occurred on May 5, according to a police report, when Jarbeau was helping Trillo dock into his summer slip.

Another boat had apparently docked in Trillo’s slip, forcing his boat to be docked elsewhere.

The second incident occurred on Aug. 9 on Block Island. Though East Greenwich police have no jurisdiction on the island, Jarbeau said Trillo was verbally confrontational and profane towards him in front of several witnesses and asked the May 5 incident to be documented.

In an e-mail obtained by the Patch, the incident on the island is described as beginning at around 1:30 p.m. when Jarbeau along with two other men were on Champlin’s Dock trying to enjoy the summery weather.

They were approached by Trillo who came right up to them and called Jarbeau “garbage,” a “jerk,” “scum,” and several expletives.

One of the men said to Trillo “Joe, come on, let’s not get into this here. Let it go, come on.”

Trillo replied by saying “He’s an f--- baby, a-----, guys from the Yacht Club don’t belong out here, they don’t have the [expletive] money to be out here.”

The three men then walked away and Jarbeau claims to have not said a single word.

As they were leaving, Trillo reportedly screamed and swore in front of “100 other people,” according to the email.

A short time later, as the three men were walking up the pier, Trillo came out from his boat and from his cockpit, yelled more expletives.

Trillo then allegedly flipped the bird about 25 minutes later in front of Jarbeau, the two men accompanying him, one of their wives, two young daughters and a young nephew.

When told not to make the gesture in front of children, “they don’t know what that means,” Trillo allegedly said.

“Uncle, that means F-U” the 10-year-old nephew replied.

Trillo did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking a response.