FRANKLIN, Mass. (WPRI) — A Cranston man charged in connection with a road rage incident in Massachusetts last week faced a judge Tuesday.
Michael Sylvester, 43, was apprehended Monday following an extensive investigation into the incident.
Police said the incident happened Friday afternoon in Franklin, when the victim, identified as a 23-year-old North Attleboro man, reported being shot at by another driver.
The victim told officers he had made an abrupt turn in front of the suspect’s vehicle prior to the incident. In response, police said the suspect, later identified as Sylvester, sped up behind the victim’s car and fired several rounds from his driver’s side window.
Police said bullets hit the victim’s car, as well as another vehicle driving by. No one was injured
The victim reported walked into the Bellingham Police Department and reported the incident after realizing what had happened, according to Lt. Kevin Ranieri.
“There were three bullet holes in the car,” Ranieri explained.
The incident started on Grove Street in Bellingham and continued down Washington Street in Franklin, according to a police narrative obtained by 12 News.
The victim told officers he had never met the suspect prior to the incident.
Investigators were able to identify the suspect’s vehicle, which led them to Sylvester.
Officers took Sylvester into custody without incident and found three handguns, a shotgun, ammunition and 20 marijuana plants while searching his Dunedin Street home, according to police.
Sylvester faced a judge in Rhode Island Tuesday as a fugitive from justice. He has also been charged with two counts of possessing a large-capacity feeding device and cultivating marijuana.
In court, police noted the two 12-round pistol magazines found was over the legal amount in the state’s new high-capacity magazine law.
The judge set Sylvester’s bail at $200,000 with double surety on the fugitive from justice charge, and $10,000 with surety on the other charges.
Police in Franklin plan to charge Sylvester with armed assault with intent to murder, as well as seven counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of malicious destruction of property over $1,200, two counts of discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, carrying a loaded firearm without a license and unlawfully possessing ammunition.
Sylvester was ordered not to leave Rhode Island to answer to the Massachusetts charges until either his bail is posted or his attorney figures something out with the R.I. Attorney General’s office.
Sylvester is scheduled to return to court for a special review next we ek.
Police in Franklin told 12 News that, since Sylvester has not been arraigned yet in Massachusetts, the department wouldn’t be releasing any further information.
