Bodycam footage captured the moment a group of six people clashed with Rhode Island police, with one woman kicking a police officer in the groin while another guest was knocked unconscious – all during a wedding celebration.
Newport police officers were called to The Landing, a seafood restaurant on Bowen’s Wharf, around 1 a.m. Sunday.
They were responding to a call about a man who allegedly tried to punch an employee and push another when the employee was refused entry as an “undesirable person.”
The man was identified as David Onik, 44, of Barrington, Rhode Island. As police questioned David, his friends began to crowd around the officers and were repeatedly asked to step back.
When they refused to listen, the police tried to arrest Rachael Onik, 41, but she tripped and fell to the ground.
This prompted the group of friends to lunge at the officers, sparking an all-out brawl during which one woman repeatedly grabbed a police officer’s gun.
Bodycam footage captured the moment a group of six people clashed with Rhode Island police during a wedding celebration.
Police in Newport, Rhode Island, were responding to a call about a man who allegedly tried to punch an employee and pushed another when he was refused entry as an “undesirable person.”
Newport Police Sergeant Stephen Carrig, who was allegedly assaulted amid the commotion, gave written notice account of what happened.
He said he saw his colleagues, Officer Cole, talking with staff and Officer White, standing next to David Onik.
Cole told him that David pushed a Landing employee and tried to punch another.
That’s when David began “aggressively” pointing at staff members, prompting Carrig to approach and handcuff him. Carrig told Rachael and Alexandra Flaherty, 31, to back off and told David he was being detained.
While Carrig spoke with Cole to determine if any of the employees wanted to press charges, Rachael walked over to David and began talking to him. David’s sister-in-law joins her. Carrig once again told the women to back off.
Rachael walked away but moments later tried to speak to David again. Carrig said she was preventing them from “investigating the incident inside The Landing.”
He grabbed Rachael’s right arm and began to pull her away from David to stop her. As he pulled her away, she tripped and fell onto uneven ground.
“I was immediately shoved by a blonde female in a white dress and black jacket who pushed me,” Carrig wrote in the report. “I pushed her away to create distance.”
He grabbed the woman’s arm and led her to the wall of a nearby building where he prepared to arrest her. He said several people then began pushing him from behind.
When he turned to fight them off, he was attacked by Alexandra, who is seen on the video in an orange dress kicking him in the groin. Carrig retaliated by slapping Alexandra in the face.
Newport Mayor Xaykham Khamsyvoravong said the city was investigating the officers’ “use of force” during the incident.
Most of those arrested are due in court on September 13.
She lost consciousness, according to other officers, and was later taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries to her jaw, head and elbows.
Carrig said he was then punched in the face, causing him to fall and smash the back of his head on the ground.
He was allegedly attacked by Robert Nash, 30, of Marshfield, Massachusetts.
Officers Cole and White rushed to Nash and handcuffed him. Before they could do so, Cole himself wrote statement, he felt someone grab his gun. He turned reflexively and threw a punch that hit Rachel’s right jaw. She lost consciousness.
Carrig can be seen falling to the ground after Nash punched him in the body camera footage. The other cops rush to his aid.
“My vision became extremely blurry to the point where I could no longer focus on anything or even see people,” he wrote. “I was unable to tell which way we were going up or down for several seconds, leaving me completely helpless.”
When the officer was able to get up, he called for additional units.
He pulled Alexandra against the wall to stop her but Olivia Costello, 20, got in his way. Another officer grabbed Alexandra while Carrig handcuffed Olivia.
“Blood filled my mouth and flowed from my nose” Carrig wrote. He complained of shooting pains and was later taken to Newport Hospital.
The Landing, a seafood restaurant on Bowen’s Wharf, was the scene of the brawl around 1 a.m. Sunday.
Newport Police Sergeant Stephen Carrig, who was allegedly assaulted amid the commotion, gave a written account of what happened.
The group is owed to court on September 13, with the exception of 28-year-old Kylie Swain. She has been charged with common assault and disturbing the peace and is due to appear in court at the end of the month.
Of the remaining guests, David Onik was charged with disorderly conduct and Rachael Onik with two counts of multiple battery, one count of resisting arrest, one count of obstructing an officer in exercise of his duties and one count of disorderly conduct.
Alexandra Flaherty, who was caught kicking Carrig in the groin, faces a series of charges, including assaulting police officers and other officers, simple assault or battery and injury, resisting arrest, obstructing the execution of his duties and disorderly conduct.
Robert Nash, who punched Carrig in the nose, is charged with assault on police officers and other officials, simple battery, resisting arrest, obstructing an officer in the execution of his duties and disorderly conduct.
Olivia Costello faces four counts: simple assault, resisting arrest, obstructing an officer in the execution of his duty and disorderly conduct.
Newport Mayor Xaykham Khamsyvoravong said the city was investigating the officers’ “use of force” during the incident.
“Given that there were injuries, the City is carefully collecting and reviewing the information,” he said.
