Tisbury Police make arrests for assault
By Janet Hefler
Published: October 8, 2009
Tisbury police, assisted by Oak Bluffs police, arrested two men this week who, police allege, went to the apartment of a man they knew and assaulted him with a putty knife.
Tisbury police officers were dispatched at about 10:40 pm Sunday in response to a report of a stabbing at an apartment on Main Street, according to Tisbury Acting Chief Dan Hanavan. He added that it was not a random attack and that the men knew each other, but he declined to discuss a motive.
A 24-year-old male who was bleeding from stab wounds to his neck and hand told the police officers he was assaulted with the blade of a putty knife, which was not found at the scene.
Emergency medical technicians and paramedics from Tisbury and Oak Bluffs also responded to the call and transported the stabbing victim to Martha's Vineyard Hospital, where he was treated and released.
Following a brief investigation, Tisbury officers Scott Ogden, Michael Gately, and Sgt. Robert Fiske identified Roy Cavanaugh, 46, and Richard Abrazinski, age 47, as suspects in the attack.
Oak Bluffs and Tisbury Police arrested Mr. Cavanaugh later that night in Oak Bluffs. Police issued a felony arrest warrant for Mr. Abrazinski.
On Tuesday night around 10 pm, a team of six Oak Bluffs police officers and State Trooper Robert Branka surrounded a house on County Road in Oak Bluffs, where Tisbury police officers Kelly Kershaw and Scott Ogden arrested Mr. Abrazinski without incident.
Mr. Cavanaugh was arraigned Monday in Edgartown District Court before Clerk Magistrate Liza Williamson on charges of assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a cutting blade), and mayhem. Mr. Abrazinski was arraigned yesterday on similar charges.
Mr. Cavanaugh's bail was set at $5,000 cash and $15,000 surety, and Mr. Abrazinski's bail at $30,000 cash and $300,000 surety.
Ms. Williamson also set as a condition of release that should the men make bail, they are prohibited from visiting the area of the victim's apartment and from contact with the victim and two other persons.
Both men are well known to Island police for a history of crimes and violence. Mr. Cavanaugh was part of a trio arrested in December in connection with the theft of a Salvation Army donation bucket at the Vineyard Haven Stop and Shop. The district attorney subsequently declined to prosecute Mr. Cavanaugh, who was on parole for another offense.
Mr. Abrazinski previously served an 18-month sentence in the Dukes County House of Correction for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and an additional one-year sentence for intimidation of a witness.
The Times agreed not to identify the victim at the request of police.
