LYNN – Officer Geovanni Ruano pleaded innocent Wednesday morning in Superior Court to charges he assaulted a 24-year-old man on July 31. Judge John Lu ordered Ruano to stay away from Richard Zelandi and have no contact with him. He also ordered Ruano to surrender his passport.
Ruano returns to court Nov. 2 for a pre trial hearing on assault and battery and witness intimidation charges. He did not speak in court and referred questions to his attorney following his arraignment.”He’s pleaded not guilty. He denies all the allegations. We are confident of his exoneration,” said attorney Thomas Drechsler.According to police accounts, Ruano, a 13-year department member, followed Zelandi down Nahant Street between 10:30 and 11 p.m. on July 31, flashing his Chevrolet Tahoe’s headlights.Zelandi turned onto Atlantic Terrace and stopped his BMW convertible. Police accounts indicate Ruano stopped his truck, got out, identified himself as a Lynn police officer and spoke to Zelandi in a threatening manner.Zelandi asked to see Ruano’s badge and the two walked over to the Tahoe where, according to an account of the incident provided by Police Chief Kevin Coppinger, they “continued arguing and then Ruano allegedly threw the victim onto the hood of his truck.”As Zelandi walked back to his car, Ruano climbed into his truck, and steered it into Zelandi at a slow speed.Ruano’s girlfriend, Catherine Foley, is scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court as early as next Monday on witness intimidation charges. Prosecutors said she visited Zelandi’s Lynn home on Aug. 1 and Aug. 9 and threatened him in an attempt to get him to change his account of the run-in with Ruano. For the rest of the story, stay with www.itemlive.comor purchase Thursday’s paper.
