The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department.
Arrest
Jan. 15, 3:05 a.m: An officer patrolling on Main Street near Prescott Street saw a vehicle on the side of the road with its engine running and the turn signal on. When the officer came back 20 minutes later the vehicle was still there with engine and turn signal still on. The officer went over to check on the well-being of the driver, who was slumped in the driver’s seat and appeared to be asleep behind the wheel. When the officer knocked on the window to wake the man, the vehicle began to move forward slowly. The officer got in his cruiser and tried to stop the vehicle, but it struck the curb at a low rate of speed. The driver awoke and suddenly swerved into the travel lane and drove away at about 10 mph. The officer put his lights on but the driver continued down the road, and ran a red light at Main and Lexington streets. The driver then turned into the Dunkin’ parking lot, went through the lot and went into the lot of the business next door before driving back onto the roadway. The driver went about 35 mph and was swerving between lanes. He then turned left onto Whites Avenue but went up onto the sidewalk. The car knocked over some street signs and then struck the fence in front of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. The officer spoke to the driver, who smelled of alcohol and showed signs of impairment. The driver said he had a few drinks before driving. He did not pass field sobriety tests. Dante Gattoni, 50, of Boston, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, and a red light violation.
Incidents
Jan. 10, 1 p.m.: A man came into CVS on Main Street, went up to a shelf and used his arm to swipe multiple bottles of hair product into a bag. He then walked out of the store without paying. The manager called the Police and said about $320 in merchandise was taken. The man was in the store for only about 30 seconds. The suspect is described as a man with brownish blond hair, 40 to 50 years old, and was wearing a black coat. His face was partially obscured by a face mask.
Jan. 11, 12:35 p.m.: A woman was shopping in the Tobacco Shed in the Watertown Mall when a man came in and when he walked past her he slammed his right shoulder into her back, causing her to jolt forward. Police were called and found the suspect, who said he was in the store and went back because he left some of his belongings there. He said he brushed past the woman, but did not push her. The account was not consistent with what the woman or a witness said. The 54-year-old Cambridge man was summoned to Waltham District Court for assault and battery. He faces a similar charge for an incident on Dec. 29 when he pushed a woman down, unprovoked, while at the checkout area at Target.
Jan. 11, 2 p.m.: A Watertown Library employee was helping a woman use the library computers when the woman became belligerent and lunged at the employee, striking her in the face with an open hand. The woman then shoved the employee to the ground with both hands. The library staff was able to identify the suspect, and police went to her home in Newton but she was not home. She did not answer repeated phone calls, either. On Jan. 12, police made contact with the woman and she said she became frustrated and snapped, but she did not recall why she struck the employee. Police informed the 63-year-old Newton woman that she was being summoned to Waltham District Court on a charge of assault and battery and that she has a trespass order against her preventing her from returning to the Library.
Jan. 15, 8:15 a.m.: The Fire Department and Police responded to Flint Road for a motor vehicle fire. The fire had spread to the side of the home by the time they arrived. It was a two-alarm blaze which caused about $100,000 in damage. The resident said he went out to his driveway to warm up his 2013 Volkswagen Jetta before going to work. He went back inside to retrieve an item. When he came back he noticed heavy smoke coming from the exhaust and the interior of the car. The man ran back into the house to grab water to attempt to extinguish the fire, but the car was engulfed in flames.