Hit-run suspect apologizes to family of victim
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Suspect Apologizes
A man accused in a fatal hit-and-run offers an apology to the victim's family.
David Catalano appears in Kent County District Court for arraignment on charges in a fatal hit-and-run.
Published: May 19, 2009
Updated: May 19, 2009
WARWICK, R.I.—A North Kingstown man accused in a fatal hit-and-run surprised a courtroom Tuesday when he unexpectedly apologized to the family of the victim.
David Catalano, 29, was arraigned in Kent County District Court on charges of reckless driving, death resulting, and leaving the scene of an accident, death resulting. He was ordered continued without bail.
Police said Catalano drove into 66-year-old Clifford Levalley at a Shell station in East Greenwich on Sunday and then took off. Levalley, a long-time gas station employee, was filling a customer’s tire with air. He died from his injuries.
“Your honor, I just want to apologize to the man’s family,“ Catalano said.
District Court Judge Robert Rahill warned Catalano that anything he said could be used against him by prosecutors.
The hit-and-run precipitated the shooting of a North Kingstown police officer.
Investigators said Officer Travis Maiato had gone to Catalano’s 10 Wasp Road to tell him East Greenwich police wanted to speak with him about the hit-and-run.
Police said Maiato had just turned to leave when word came over his police radio that East Greenwich police wanted Catalano held. Police said they believe Catalano heard the transmission and attacked Maiato.
North Kingstown Police Chief Edward Charboneau said Catalano grabbed the officer from behind, took his service gun, pushed him down on the grass and fired three shots at him at close range.
Maiato, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, was released from the hospital Monday.
After the shooting, police said Catalano stole Maiato’s cruiser and drove off. He was arrested a short time later on Post Road without incident.
Catalano was arraigned Monday in the shooting on charges that included assault with intent to murder and discharging a firearm, resulting in injury to an officer while in the performance of his duty.
Catalano was already on probation for disorderly conduct. He’s scheduled to appear for a probation violation hearing and a bail hearing in June.
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Reader Reactions
Hey Sasha, if you’re this guy’s girlfriend, you’ll have to share him once he hits the BIG HOUSE
Sasha, you must be related to him. Considering he has a previous felony assault, not to mention the rest of his record, there is no doubt in my mind that he knew what he was doing. You don’t grab someone’s gun, shoot them 3 times and then steal his cruiser and not know what you’re doing. A man of 29 is an ADULT, so it’s not a “Boys will be boys” thing. He is a grown man…and I use the term very loosely. He can’t wiggle out of this one with a slap on the wrist like before.
Sasha, I have read all the comments here and have come to one conclusion….you are the only RETARD in this bunch. Read what you wrote. He was so scared that he ran away after running someone over and killing them and then decided since he was on probation it was a good idea to shoot a cop 3 times….OH YEAH HE MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED. The icing on the cake HE IS NO MONSTER…You are a complete idiot…..oh and by the way show where things like this happen everyday.
To: Sasha,
So in your demented method of thinking, an ADULT in his twenties is not capable of making decisions much like, say a child would? Even a child wouldn’t compound the issue by TAKING AN OFFICERS GUN AND SHOOTING AT HIM POINT BLANK THREE TIMES!!!!!! Are you insane? do you know what that means when someone shoots at you, not once, not twice but three times? I’ll help you, it means they intend to KILL you. but wait, a mid twenties year old male can possible be able to make a rational decision as you see it. Thank god your little and loud opinion is confined to this media. I hope to god that you are a deadbeat and that you dont’ get off your lazy butt and vote. This state doesn’t need any of your input, that’s for sure. The scary part is you typing what you wrote and didn’t come to a realization during that filth you spewed and stopped yourself. The collective message board is now 50 IQ points lower for reading your trash.
Well Sasha, only a court of law can decide if he is a murderer but all evidence points to “YES”. Sure, hitting the guy could have been an accident, and most likely was. Shooting a cop in the back and aiming for his head is certainly intent to murder and very deliberate. So his apologies for claiming a life carry zero weight. And the excuse that he was “scared to death of violating his probation” is no excuse. Are you suggesting that we have sympathy for him? How about this - keep yourself out of trouble and off probabtion for more than two months and this wouldn’t have been an issue. But you’re right, we are the ones with a warped sense of reality, or as you called it, “retarded”. Please.
Sasha…..do you know this person?
You people are all retarded. Did it ever occur to any of you that this man, who by the way is still in his 20’s, is really sorry for what he did. Things like this happen every day, people make mistakes. He’s not a monster of any kind. He hit that man by accident and was so scared to death of violating his probation that he ran and hid. Obviously being a coward and not running too far. But he’s no murderer!
His apology is an empty one. Sure, this could have been a freak accident, in which case any normal person would be extremely remorseful. But this person showed a blatant disregard for human life when he first took off from the ‘accident’ and second, intended to kill another human being a short time later. Unfortunately, the press is really highlighting the officer that was injured (not that it isn’t important) instead of the man who lost his life. If it is any consolation to the family, shooting an officer will most definitely ensure that this monster is locked away for the rest of his life, as opposed to possibly getting off a bit easier for killing that poor man in an “accident”. I am finding people more and more scary everyday. There is just no respect for human life out there and it is frightening.
Kidinsanity4….you made me smile. I really think a little giggle escaped my lips. Thanks. You said what a lot of people want to say.
He is cold and calculating with no regard for anyone but himself. that’s evident. Please, go look at his crime history, and his brothers’ for that matter. With that kind of background you have to wonder what kind of vile environment were they brought up in? Both ‘rap sheets’ are VERY extensive and it almost seems that they both had someone in the judicial system in their back pocket all along. Well, not any more. I guess there really is something about the KARMA thing after all. They really should do away with the electric chair and and install an electric couch. Save time and electricity.
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