Oak Bluffs Police have charged a Tisbury man with vandalism of a side mirror in connection with what is described in a police report as a “road rage incident.” Reniclis Albino, 29, of Tisbury, has been summonsed to Edgartown District Court by Oak Bluffs Police based on the allegation he damaged another motorist’s side mirror.
A motorist told Oak Bluffs Police that he was passed by a truck just after crossing the Lagoon Pond Bridge into Oak Bluffs on Jan. 22. After passing the motorist, the truck allegedly drove “extremely slow” in front of the motorist, according to a report.
“The truck came to a complete stop on Eastville Ave., then continued to Ocean Park and stopped in a parking spot,” a report states. The motorist “followed” the truck to the parking spot. The truck operator exited the truck and allegedly said, “‘What are you going to do about it?’” a report states. The truck operator then allegedly tried to rip a side mirror off the motorist’s vehicle.
“The damage to the mirror was to the outside shell, which was completely off and broken into pieces,” a report states. “The mirror itself was spidered …”
It’s unclear how and when the motorist and the truck operator parted company.
On Feb. 6, Oak Bluffs Police, with the assistance of Tisbury Police, visited Albino at his home in Tisbury.
Albino allegedly admitted a “road rage incident had occurred with an older male that pulled up to his vehicle and started swearing at him,” a report states.
When asked if he exited his vehicle near Ocean Park and said, “What are you going to do about it?” to the older man, Albino allegedly said he did.
Asked if he damaged the mirror, Albino allegedly said he “had driven off.”
Shortly afterward, Oak Bluffs Police thanked Albino for his cooperation, and told him he would receive a summons, according to a report.
In 2021, Albino was involved in a collision on the Lagoon Pond Bridge that totaled a Tisbury Police cruiser and sent a police officer to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital “with minor injuries to his face and neck,” according to a State Police report.
Albino was charged with operating a motor vehicle without a license, lack of an inspection sticker, and a marked lanes violation. He pleaded not guilty to those charges. A Cape and Islands prosecutor indicated Albino would also be charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, but that charge didn’t seem to manifest. In November, Albino failed to show in court, and a bench warrant was issued. Court records show he turned himself in a day later. Ultimately, Albino was found not responsible for the inspection sticker violation, and responsible for the marked lanes violation, and was fined $100. His unlicensed operation charge was dismissed at the request of the commonwealth.
Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekost said a lot of dismissals have been coming out of the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s office. “I don’t agree with so many dismissals,” he said. “It doesn’t feel right.”
Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Tara Miltimore responded to an email seeking comment with a suggestion questions be posed to the State Police. A phone message to the State Police wasn’t immediately returned.
Albino is expected to be arraigned on the vandalism charge on June 23.
