PORTSMOUTH — A 52-year-old Portsmouth man was arrested Saturday, June 10, and charged with sixth-degree arson.

Officers responded at about 2 p.m. to a report of a fire burn in a local business plaza on East Main Road. It was determined that a man had poured and ignited a flammable substance, suspected to be diesel fuel, onto a grassy area just a few feet away from a public sidewalk, police said.

As a result of the investigation, officers arrested Robert C. Laureanno, 52, of 3030 East Main Road. 

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, June 6, Laureanno was charged with disorderly conduct (offensive words at another), based on an affidavit warrant that had been issued earlier. He turned himself in at the police station around 10:25 a.m., police said.

Here are some more recent highlights from the Portsmouth Police reports:

Tuesday, June 6

Jaylen M. Butler, 18, of 16 J.H. Dwyer Drive, Middletown, was charged with reckless driving/eluding an officer with a motor vehicle in a high-speed pursuit. According to police officers observed a multi-colored motorcycle, which had no registration plate, pass their location in the area of West Main Road at Melville School shortly after 6 p.m. Officers tried to stop the bike in the area of Stringham and Burma roads, but the operator did not pull over, police said. The driver increased speed, and officers stopped the pursuit. The officers continued southbound on Burma Road, without lights and sirens activated, when they were flagged down for a motor vehicle accident involving a motorcycle; Butler had crashed into the wood line, police said. The Portsmouth Fire Department responded and transported Butler to Rhode Island Hospital for further evaluation. 

Friday, June 9

Robert Earl Jacob Stackhouse, 52, of no permanent address, was charged with injuring or tampering with vehicles. Officers responded to a West Main Road location after receiving a report from a man who said someone had entered and gone through his vehicle, police said. He also identified Stackhouse as the man he had seen exiting and walking away from the vehicle, according to police. 

Sayles Bardon Livingston, 53, of 9 Colebrook Road, Little Compton, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, with damage resulting to an attended vehicle, at about 3:30 p.m. The arrest was the result of a report of a hit-and-run accident that had taken place on West Main Road at Raytheon, police said. Middletown Police notified Portsmouth that it had officers with the involved vehicles in the parking lot of the old Benny’s store on West Main Road. Before the Portsmouth officers arrived, Middletown Police charged Livingston with driving under the influence (DUI), according to police.

Saturday, June 10

Adam P. Holguin, 40, of 7 Flint Corn Road, was charged with DUI, first offense, after being stopped on West Main Road at Russo Road around 12:10 a.m. for multiple traffic violations, police said.

Sunday, June 11

Christopher David Eberhard, 39, of 20 Detroit Ave., Warren, was charged with DUI, first offense, after being stopped on East Main Road around 12:35 a.m. for multiple moving violations, police said.

Peter H. Barlow, 27, of 7 School Court, Apt. 5, Bristol, was charged with DUI, first offense, at about 2:45 a.m. Officers found his vehicle idling in the area of West Main Road and Patriot Park with its left turn signal activated, according to police.

Richard Pine, Jr., 54, of 1601 West Main Road, was charged with DUI, first offense, after being pulled over on West Main Road at Bradford Avenue around 8:15 p.m. Pine was also cited for refusal to submit to a chemical test, police said.

Monday, June 12

Norah H. Pursell, 52, of 068 John Oldham Road, Prudence Island, was charged with domestic assault after officers responded to her home around 10:35 p.m. to investigate a report of a disturbance in progress, police said. Officers determined that Pursell had entered another person’s room and was deemed the primary aggressor, police said.