A man and a woman who were wanted in New Hampshire were arrested Friday in Rhode Island after crashing a car that was reported stolen on I-95 in Hopkinton, according to state police.
The pair ran from the scene, after the man tried car jacking a vehicle that pulled over to help following the crash, according to Rhode Island State Police. Troopers say he assaulted both of the people in that car.
Several agencies helped in the search for the man and woman, including Rhode Island State Police, Hopkinton Police Department, Connecticut State Police and North Stonington Police.
Eventually, they were tracked down by a K9 to a home on Extension 184 in Ashaway, which had an exterior basement door, troopers said. They were found in a crawl space in the back of the basement and taken into custody, according to police.
The male suspect was identified as Kelvin Lewis, 32, who has a last known address that's in Florida. He was charged with fugitive from justice out of the State of New Hampshire – 1st degree felony assault, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, two counts of simple assault, assault with intent to commit specified felonies, attempted robbery (car jacking,) breaking and entering of a dwelling when resident on premises and obstruction of officer in execution of duty, according to a news release from state police.
The 1st degree felony assault out of New Hampshire is from an incident where Lewis allegedly stabbed a woman in the neck, police said.
The female suspect has been identified as 23-year-old Melanie Diperna, who was charged with fugitive from justice out of the State of New Hampshire for a Hillsborough Superior Court warrant for failure to appear for possession of fentanyl, possession of buprenorphine, dealing in or possessing prescription drugs and receiving stolen property, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, breaking and entering of a dwelling when resident on premises and obstruction of officer in execution of duty, the release said.
Both are being held in jail in Cranston pending a future court date.
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