By VINAYA SAKSENA

LINCOLN — Two adults were arrested Wednesday night after an apparent beef with a stuck motorist who they had pulled over to help.

By VINAYA SAKSENA

LINCOLN — Two adults were arrested Wednesday night after an apparent beef with a stuck motorist who they had pulled over to help.
State Police say Francis Cookinham, 44, of 394 Central St., Central Falls, is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a prohibited weapon — namely a machete — and possession of cocaine.
His alleged partner in crime, Gail Levasseur, 45, of Summit Street, Central Falls, is being charged with possession of a knife over 3 inches and disorderly conduct. According to police, she was cited after micturating on the floor of the State Police barracks not long after being transported there.
Police describe the incident that led to their arrest as follows:
A Lincoln man was stuck on the side of the road near Lincoln Woods State Park Wednesday sometime before 7 p.m. Cookinham stopped his vehicle behind the other man’s, planning to assist him.
Things got complicated when Cookinham, who may have been intoxicated, failed to maintain control as he pulled over. Cookinham’s car struck the disabled vehicle, police said.
An argument ensued, State Police Sgt. Frank Castellone said, at which point “Cookinham retrieved a machete from his vehicle.”
The alleged showdown didn’t escalate: Police report that Cookinham went back to his car and took off after the party of the second part contacted a family member on his cell phone.
The alleged victim later pursued Cookinham and company for some time, contacting police by phone to provide his whereabouts, a description of the suspect and of the man’s vehicle.
Police reportedly stopped Cookinham’s car near the intersection of Route 146 and Branch Avenue in Providence. At that point, police reported, cocaine was found in Cookinham’s possession.
After pleading no contest in Sixth District Court, Levasseur was sentenced to one year’s suspended sentence and one year of probation for knife possession, plus six months probation and six months suspended for the disorderly conduct charge.
Cookinham was due back in court Dec. 11 for a violation hearing on a previous offense. Castellone said he didn’t know what that offense was, but believed it was similar in nature to the Lincoln Woods incident.
Two other occupants of Cookinham’s car were not charged in connection with Wednesday’s mishap.