Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that yesterday Willie Washington (age 38), aka "Chill Will," with a last known address of 9 Village Road, Smithfield, was found guilty by a Providence County Superior Court jury of carrying a firearm without a license, discharge of a firearm while committing a crime of violence, possession of a firearm after previously being convicted of a crime of violence, and felony assault.
The jury returned the verdict in six hours after a six-day trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause.
During the course of the trial, the State proved that at approximately 1:00 a.m. on November 15, 2014, a Volvo SUV in which Washington was a passenger pulled up behind a parked Hyundai on Huxley Avenue on the Providence College campus. The Hyundai was operated by Rudy Basquez, who was making a food delivery to a nearby residence. The driver of the Volvo beeped his horn to indicate that the Hyundai should move, and Basquez confronted the operators of the SUV. Washington stepped out of the vehicle and opened fire, striking Basquez in the arm with a bullet.
The Volvo SUV then fled the scene. Providence Police obtained a description of the vehicle from witnesses and, after running the plates, traced it to Washington. Shortly afterwards, officers stopped a different vehicle on Admiral Street in Providence in connection with this investigation. At that time, the front-seat passenger, later identified as Willie Washington, jumped out of the vehicle and ran. After a brief chase, Providence Police apprehended Washington in a nearby driveway.
Providence Police Detective Alicia Hersperger led the investigation. Special Assistant Attorneys General Peter Roklan and Joseph McBurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.