Man charged with assault, animal cruelty

A 31-year-old New Bedford man who was arguing with his wife allegedly grabbed a cat she was holding and threw it down the stairs, killing it. Luis M. Alvarez told police that his wife "was spending more time with the cat than she spent with him," said Lieutenant Jeffrey Silva, a police spokesman. Alvarez faces charges of animal cruelty and domestic assault and battery after he and his wife argued Tuesday morning at their home on Tallman Street. He faces the assault charge because he allegedly grabbed her wrists when she tried to leave, police said.

A man was in critical condition after he was hit by a van that fled the scene last night in Roslindale. Police said they later stopped a dark green Dodge Caravan, believed to have been involved in the accident, near Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and placed a man under arrest on outstanding warrants. The victim, who was struck on Centre Street, went into cardiac arrest and was taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital, police said. Police did not identify the victim or the suspect last night.

The Justice Department has reached an agreement with the Massachusetts secretary of state to fix problems tracking ballots from members of the military and citizens living overseas. The Justice Department said the state had failed to fulfill its obligation to collect and report the number of military service members and overseas citizens who were sent ballots, how many ballots were returned, and how many ballots were successfully cast in each federal general election. The agreement requires the Massachusetts secretary of state, William F. Galvin, to collect and report the data within 90 days of the election and to make the report available to the public. Galvin said that after the Justice Department alerted him to gaps in reporting from previous elections, he notified local election officials to remind them of their responsibilities under the law. Galvin also said yesterday that he has told local election officials to use expedited mail to send absentee ballots outside the United States to make sure they reach the voter in time. (AP)

A Revere firefighter pleaded guilty to assault and battery charges in an altercation three years ago at the Big Lou restaurant in Revere that forced doctors to remove part of the victim's skull. Peter Napolitano, 32, of Revere appeared in Chelsea District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty as his trial was about to start. He was given 18 months' probation, 50 hours of community service, and ordered to take anger management classes, according to a statement from the Suffolk district attorney's office. Napolitano punched the victim in the face in an alcohol-induced fight, and when the victim hit the pavement his brain swelled, forcing doctors to remove part of his skull, according to the district attorney's office.

A former Chelsea High School football coach has been accused of stealing thousands from the team booster club to buy personal items, including plane tickets. James Atkins of Revere was arraigned yesterday on charges that include 10 counts of larceny in the theft of $10,000 from the booster club, of which he was president. Prosecutors said that Atkins, 43, and his wife put their money in the team account, but that Atkins used more than he put in. They said Atkins used the money for plane tickets and at a Boston sports bar. Prosecutors said police began the investigation after parents of players noticed what looked like suspicious transactions on the booster club's account. Atkins's lawyer, Douglas Louison, did not immediately return a call for comment. (AP)

A Lawrence man was arrested and charged with trafficking more than 450 grams of cocaine in Fitchburg on Tuesday, despite filing down his fingertips in an attempt to conceal his identity, police said. The suspect was pulled over on Route 2 west by a state trooper at around 4:30 p.m. The man produced a Puerto Rico driver's license that did not belong to him, police said. The man was also charged with unlicensed operation, marked lanes violation, refusing to identify himself, and providing a false name to police.