By Steve Klamklin WPRO News
East Providence Police said a California man who jumped off the Washington Bridge into the Seekonk River when stopped in a vehicle on Wednesday night, had numerous weapons in a suitcase, and faces a long list of charges.
Chief Christopher Francesconi said Joseph Darosa, 29, of Modesto, California had been under surveillance, and ignored commands by officers, who had watched as he put a suitcase in a car, that was later pulled over on the bridge.
“Darosa ignored those commands, and without warning, jumped off the Washington Bridge into the water below,” Francesconi said.
He was captured in a marshy area on the East Providence shore following a search that lasted about 50 minutes and included a marine unit from Providence, and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The chief said detectives obtained a search warrant, and found 13 handguns and a rifle in suitcase in the Lyft rideshare car that was stopped on the bridge. He said the driver was unaware that Darosa was being followed.
“For the East Providence Police Department, in my… 22, 23 years, this is the largest single seizure of weapons,” Francesconi said.
Mayor Roberto DaSilva credited police for taking that many guns off the street.
“There’s 14 weapons that will not be used in a homicide, that will not be used to shoot an innocent person, that will not be used to take someone’s life,” DaSilva said.
Francesconi listed the charges that Darosa faces, including: 14 counts of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime of violence, 13 counts of license required to carry a pistol, four counts of possession of a stolen firearm, one count of alternation of marks of identification on firearms, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of obstruction of an officer in execution of their duty.
The chief said investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were involved in the investigation.
