Super Cop? East Greenwich Officer Stops Street Fight with Double Takedown

A 22-year-old Warwick man is facing a disorderly conduct charge after he allegedly started late-night street fight in front of Town Hall as Patrolman Matthew White of the East Greenwich Police Department happened to be driving by.

According to a police report, White was heading north on Main Street at around 12:39 a.m. on Aug. 9 when he saw Anthony J. Pedchenko, 22, of 28 Troy Ave., Warwick, cross the double yellow line, stop his car with its nose pointing in the breakdown lane on the wrong side of the road, get out of his car and start a fight with two men walking along the sidewalk.

White turned on his emergency lights, got out and yelled at the three men to stop fighting but the pushing and punching continued.

“At that point, I was able to restrain two of the male parties and take both males to the ground simultaneously,” the report stated. “I then placed one knee on the chests of each part[y], identified myself as an East Greenwich Police Officer and began demanding both parties stop fighting to which they immediately stopped fighting.”

Both men where handcuffed and backup officers soon arrived.

After an investigation, police said that Pedchenko was upset after one of the two pedestrians raised his arms in the crosswalk.

Pedchenko allegedly failed to yield for the two men at the crosswalk and apparently got angry when he saw the arms-raised gesture. He then pulled over and got out and started the fight.

During the fight, Pedchenko allegedly yelled “you want to throw down?” before throwing a punch at one man, knocking his glasses off his face, and then grabbing the other.

Unbeknownst to Pedchenko was White’s presence nearby. Though the victims said they didn’t know Pedchenko and did not wish to press charges, the fact that it occurred in view of an officer and that he stopped his vehicle into oncoming traffic to start a fight, he was charged with disorderly conduct.

Nobody suffered serious injuries during the altercation.

Pedchenko was transported to police headquarters without incident and “appeared cooperative and respectful” during his interactions with police before his release with an Aug. 21 Third Division District Court date, police said.

White happens to be the same officer who pulled a despondent man off the train tracks near the London Bridge in April moments before a passing train lumbered by.

White graduated from the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy in 2012.

State leaders in June awarded White the Silver Star for bravery for his lifesaving act on the train tracks.