South Kingstown Town Councilor charged with simple assault

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WLNE) — The South Kingstown Police Department said Jay Wegimont, a town council member, was charged with simple assault.

According to police, the incident occurred at the South Kingston Town Hall. Police did not reveal the details regarding the incident.

Narragansett Republican Town Committee member Anthony D’Ellena said on “X” that he has pressed charges against Wegimont regarding an incident on June 9.

In the post, he claimed that Wegimont “charged” at him and “proceeded to body slam me in the hallway and screamed in my face.”

D’Ellena claimed that Wegimont “screamed” about a social media post from around seven months ago, in which he made a comment on Wegimont’s previous DUI charges.

According to court records obtained by ABC6 News, Wegimont was arrested for DUI on Jan. 13, 2023 and March 17th, 2022.

He is also a public information officer for the Providence Public School District.

He was also charged for driving with a suspended license in November of 2021.

Following the incident, Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Joe Powers has called for Wegimont’s “immediate resignation.”

In a statement, Powers said in part:

“Councilman Wegimont should resign immediately. And if he refuses, the South Kingstown Town Council must act without hesitation to discipline him—up to and including sanctioning the councilman. The people of South Kingstown deserve leaders who bring solutions, not violence.”

Wegimont was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon and is scheduled to appear in Washington County District Court on July 3.

ABC6 News has reached out to Wegimont and is waiting to hear back.

South Kingstown police said the department will “provide updates as warranted.”