By Guy Page

A Rhode Island man has been arrested after police say he tried to abduct his girlfriend from her father’s home at knifepoint.

Burlington Police were called to 80 Front Street Nov. 12 at 10:52 AM for a report of a violent family disturbance. Officers say Argenis Miguel Santana Gil, 26, of Providence, R.I., attempted to forcibly remove his girlfriend from her father’s home and take her back to Rhode Island.

Police say Gil carried the victim out of the house before a bystander intervened, allowing her to escape back inside. Gil allegedly smashed his way into the residence, threatened family members with a kitchen knife, assaulted a minor child, and prevented the household from calling 911.

Gil was arrested and lodged with the Department of Corrections. He was arraigned the following day in Chittenden Superior Court on charges of aggravated domestic assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, unlawful restraint, and interference with access to emergency services. He was ordered held without bail pending a weight-of-evidence hearing.

Vehicle flees from scene With firefighter inside

The next afternoon, on Nov. 13 at 1:42 p.m., Burlington officers were called to Pearl Street at Park Street for an unresponsive person in a vehicle. Police say the driver, identified as Burlington resident Kareem Lighty, fled in the car while being evaluated by Burlington Fire Department personnel — with one firefighter still inside the vehicle.

Witnesses and officers saw the vehicle speed off in multiple directions, including traveling the wrong way down the one-way portion of Park Street, before crashing. Lighty was taken into custody at the scene. A Burlington officer was injured during the incident and is undergoing medical evaluation. Police say criminal charges are still being reviewed.