Official suspended after truck plows into prison protesters
CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. — Officials at a Rhode Island prison where a truck drove at a group protesting federal immigration policies say an employee has been placed on administrative leave.
Daniel Martin is warden of the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls.
He says a correctional officer identified as Capt. Thomas Woodworth has been suspended as the facility does a “top-to-bottom review” of Wednesday night’s incident.
Protest organizers say at least two demonstrators were injured when a pickup truck moved through a crowd of people who were blocking an entrance.
Martin did not specifically say Woodworth was the driver, and Wyatt spokesman Chris Hunter says the internal investigation will address that and other facts.
Rhode Island State Police and the attorney general’s office also are investigating.
Martin’s statement Thursday says his facility supports the First Amendment right of citizens to peacefully protest on public property.
