Newport Police Log: Man Arrested After Found Lying on Street

The following reports detail the arrests made by the Newport Police Department from Monday, August 16, through the early morning hours of Tuesday, August 17. Descriptions of all events are based solely on police officer reports provided to Patch.

Newport Man Arrested After Found Lying on Street

James L. Coppa, 47, of 15 Meeting Street in Newport, was arrested around 11:40 p.m. Monday on a District Court Capias warrant for failure to appear.

According to the report, an officer was patrolling the area of Broadway and Stone Street when he found a man lying on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant One Eighty. The officer says he approached the man, identified as Coppa, and found him to be extremely intoxicated and have a small contusion on his forehead. Police say Coppa was breathing, but unable to sit up and answer questions. He also had a RI Department of Corrections ID lying on the ground next to him.

Dispatch confirmed that Coppa had an active warrant. He was transported to Newport Hospital, where he was held for observation due to his high level of intoxication, then released and taken to the Newport Police Department around 6 a.m.

Man with Two Warrants Arrested

Hilliard Cheeseboro, 58, of 22o Hillside Avenue in Newport, was arrested around 4:52 p.m. Monday on Second District Court and Sixth District Court bench warrants. Police say they were patrolling the area of 117 Park Holm when they recognized Cheeseboro, who was standing across the street. Officers stopped and turned around, then approached Cheeseboro regarding his warrants and arrested him.