RICHMOND, R.I. — Three Massachusetts men who played golf in Rhode Island are charged with violating Gov. Gina Raimondo’s order for out-of-state residents to self-quarantine if visiting the state for purposes not related to work, according to the Providence Journal.
Richmond Police Chief Elwood Johnson said in a news release that police received a call Wednesday afternoon from the local McDonald’s, reporting that two cars with Massachusetts license plates had been parked there for several hours.
The caller told police that three men had removed golf clubs from the cars, entered another car with Rhode Island plates and left.
At 3:15 p.m., police officers saw the men return and unload their golf clubs from the Rhode Island vehicle.
Johnson said the three men — Gregory S. Corbett, 51, of Attleboro; Tyler E. Pietrzyk, 22, of Taunton; and Nye M. Cameron, 22, of Taunton — had played a round of golf less than a mile away at the Meadowbrook Golf Course.
The golf course had posted signs stating that the course was open to Rhode Island residents only, following Raimondo’s order on Saturday that all people from out-of-state self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving in Rhode Island for a non-work-related purpose.
The three were released at the scene with a summons to appear in court on May 14.
Johnson said police had received numerous calls about an increase in out-of-state residents visiting golf courses after golf courses in Massachusetts closed last week. He said public golf courses in Richmond were now requiring golfers to present valid Rhode Island identification.
Richmond is one of just two communities in Rhode Island (the other is New Shoreham) that did not have a confirmed coronavirus case as of Thursday.
