East Greenwich hit & run victim ID'd

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) - The suspect accused of shooting a North Kingstown police officer Sunday afternoon is also accused of being involved in a deadly hit and run in East Greenwich shortly before his confrontation with the officer.

According to East Greenwich police, they were called to Willie's Texaco gas station on Post Rod at 12:54 p.m., after they said David J. Catalano, 29, struck a gas station attendant.  Police said Catalano drove his black Ford Explorer into the gas station, struck Clifford Levalley, 66, threw his car into reverse and took off.

Levalley, who was helping a customer put air in her tires, was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital. He died from his injures around 4 p.m., police said.

Police said Catalano went to his home at 10 Wasp Rd. in North Kingstown. At that point officer Travis Maiato, a veteran of more than seven years, was sent to the suspect's home to notify Catalano that East Greenwich police wanted to talk to him about a hit and run. However, according the North Kingstown Police Chief Edward A. Charboneau, officer Maiato did not know the hit and run involved a pedestrian.

"Then he went to leave and at that point there was a struggle. The suspect was able to grab the officer's revolver and three shots were fired," said Charboneau.

Seconds after firing the officer's gun, Catalano took off in his own truck but then returned and drove away in the wounded officer's patrol car, Charboneau said. East Greenwich police arrested Catalano a short time later, without much resistance and the weapon was found on the center console.

A check of the state's criminal data base found a detailed record on Catalano. A total of 17 cases with his name on it including an assault with a dangerous weapon charge in Warwick from 1999, an eluding police charge out of Cranston in 2006, and a resisting arrest charge out of Providence from 2007.

Catalano, who was on probation for a disorderly conduct charge out of East Greenwich in March, will be charged in the officer assault Monday.

East Greenwich police are charging Catalano with leaving the scene, death resulting and driving to endanger, death resulting.