Providence judge dismisses red‑light citations for Gulf War veteran

Judge Frank Caprio dismissed three red‑light violations against John Richardson on Monday after Richardson described his military service and work at the VA.

Caprio opened the exchange by identifying Richardson and noting the three citations — two on Pleasant Valley Parkway and one on Dean Street — then asked Richardson to explain the circumstances. Richardson told the court he works in a VA kitchen, feeds veterans and confirmed he served in the Gulf War, saying he trained at Fort Benning and attended airborne school.

"I feed the veterans," Richardson said, describing his current job and the bond he developed with fellow service members. He also told the judge he had experienced racism before the military and that his service helped him find connection.

Caprio responded repeatedly with empathy, acknowledging the difficulty of service and the hardships some veterans face. The judge concluded the exchange by saying he would dismiss the cases: "I'm gonna dismiss these," and thanked Richardson "profusely for all of us assembled here today for your service." Richardson responded, "Thank you, your honor."

The dismissal resolved the three listed red‑light violations without further sanction in court. No fines or payment plan were recorded in the hearing transcript for this matter.

The next scheduled matters proceeded after the dismissal.