Charges added against Barrington couple involved in alleged assault on Newport police

The Barrington couple that was part of a wedding party charged with assaulting Newport police officers outside a Bowen's Wharf restaurant in September are now facing additional charges.

Newport police said on Friday that Rachel Onik, 41 of 10 Boxwood Court, Barrington, was charged with larceny from a person for attempting to disarm Officer Jaisen Cole by grabbing onto and actively attempting to remove his holstered firearm, and larceny from a person for attempting to disarm Officer Alex White by grabbing onto and actively attempting to remove her holstered firearm.

Her husband, David Onik, 44, of the same address was charged with two counts of simple assault and trespassing. Police said David Onik will appear in Newport District Court on Nov. 7 for a pre-trial conference. David Onik will also face his previous charge of disorderly conduct on that date.

Both Rachel Onik and David Onik were re-arraigned Oct. 17 in Newport District Court on the new charges.

In a release, police said both of the charges against Rachel Onik are felonies and the case will be screened by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office with a court date to be set in the future. In addition to the new felony charges, Rachael Onik also faces her previous charges of two counts of simple assault or battery, resisting arrest, obstruction of an officer in execution of duty, and disorderly conduct in Newport Superior Court.

When asked why the new charges were added now, police spokesman Lt. Joseph Carroll said in an email: "Upon further investigation and consulting with the Attorney General, is where the additional charges were filed."

What is alleged to have happened between Newport police and a wedding party

According to an incident report released by Newport police following the Sept. 10 incident, the altercation began when Officers Cole and White were dispatched to The Landing restaurant in Bowen’s Wharf because the restaurant reported someone was refusing to leave after being denied entry. There, a bar manager informed the officers that David Onik had allegedly become upset when the restaurant denied him and his family entry. The bar manager claimed Onik shoved them with two fingers and attempted to punch a security staff member while he was being restrained.

While the officers were collecting information from the restaurant staff, Onik allegedly began yelling at the staff and was detained. Later, as Sgt. Stephen Carrig was speaking with Onik, his wife, Rachel Onik, allegedly began interjecting herself into the incident by refusing to back away and trying to speak with her husband. According to the police narratives, Rachel Onik tripped and fell while officers were trying to move her away from the situation, causing other family members to crowd around the officers. Physical altercations broke out between several members of the family and police, causing Carrig to strike David Onik’s sister-in-law Alexandra Flaherty, who allegedly kicked Carrig in the groin, “in the face with an open hand slap, again to create distance.”

Then, 30-year-old Robert Nash allegedly began punching Carrig in the face, leaving him with a broken nose. As Cole and White attempted to remove Nash from Carrig and place him in handcuffs, Cole’s narrative states he felt someone attempting to reach for his firearm which caused him to turn and punch Rachel Onik in the jaw, causing her to collapse to the ground unconscious. The Newport Fire Department was dispatched to help Rachel with her injuries and she was later transported to Newport Hospital, discharged and placed under arrest.

Who was charged and what were the charges?

Robert Nash, 30, of 61 Acorn St., Marshfield, Massachusetts, was charged with assault of a police officer, simple assault or battery, resisting arrest, obstruction of an officer in execution of duty and disorderly conduct.

Alexandra Flaherty, 31, of 61 Acorn St., Marshfield, Massachusetts, was charged with assault of a police officer, simple assault or battery, resisting arrest, obstruction of an officer in execution of duty and disorderly conduct.

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Rachel Onik, was charged with two counts of simple assault or battery, resisting arrest, obstruction of an officer in execution of duty and disorderly conduct. Charges of larceny from a person and larceny from a person were added on Oct. 17.

David Onik was charged with disorderly conduct. Two counts of simple assault and trespassing were added on Oct. 17.

Olivia Costello, 20, of 23 Bunton St., Milton, Massachusetts, was charged with simple assault or battery, resisting arrest, obstruction of an officer in execution of duty and disorderly conduct.

Kylie Swain, 28, of 33 Great Pond Road, South Weymouth, Massachusetts, was charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct.

According to court records, Rachael Onik, Nash and Flaherty were each released on $5,000 bond. Costello and David Onik were each released on $1,000 bond. All were arraigned on Oct. 13. Swain was arraigned on Sept. 27 and released on $1,000 bond.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Newport wedding party assault on police leads to more charges