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Rhode Island
21-year-old Rhode Island motorcycle rider nearly dies months after losing home, father dying suddenly
As police release details of a recent crash, the family of the victim is dealing with another hardship.
On Wednesday at approximately 5:00 p.m., the Warwick Police Department responded to a car versus motorcycle crash in the area of 2766 West Shore Road.
The preliminary investigation suggests that a Toyota Camry attempted to make a turn when the Suzuki GSX 1300 motorcycle crashed into the passenger side.
Responders found the motorcycle rider, 21-year-old Xander Bellini of Warwick, suffering from upper body and facial injuries. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital and was listed in critical condition.
The car operator, 61-year-old Cynthia Morse of Warwick, was transported to Rhode Island Hospital and was listed in stable condition.
No charges are pending.
In addition to Xander’s injuries, 2024 has been a tough year for the Bellini family.
According to Xander’s mother, Amy, her husband of 28 years, and his father, died unexpectedly on April 1st in his sleep from a cerebral stroke and as a result, the family lost their home of 19 years.
Amy says that Bellini, who has no health insurance, started reconstructive surgeries Friday, the first of many as many of his facial bones were broken as well as a skull fracture and a gash about 4 inches across and 3/4 inch tall.
Amy states that Xander’s helmet ultimately saved his life but shattered upon one of the multiple impacts his head made upon landing. Unfortunately, his brother Noah was 2 cars behind him and witnessed Xander’s body as it was cartwheeling after impact. She also said that the metacarpals in his left hand were pretty pulverized, so they decided to start with that surgical procedure first to allow the swelling on his face to subside some before they start setting those bones.
Despite the circumstances, Amy feels thankful.
“We were blessed beyond comprehension with his survival. That coupled with his body mass helped protect his internal organs during the initial and subsequent impacts his poor body endured. He has swelling around his heart and fluid accumulation in his chest but all in all, he was fortunate. We all were. Our family wouldn’t survive another tragedy so close on the heels of losing my husband a few short months ago. After Bobby passed, Xander really stepped up to try and fill some of the holes left by his father’s abrupt passing at such a young age. He really is a remarkable young man. Xander makes a lasting impression on everyone he meets. As a matter of fact, his elementary school teacher reached out earlier today and still has his 5th grade class picture on her refrigerator!”
Amy has created a GoFundMe fundraiser to help with expenses.
Anyone with information on the crash can call Warwick Police at 401-468-4200.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island shifts its primary to Wednesday, Sept. 9, easing a Labor Day poll setup crunch
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island’s primary elections will now be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9, moving it back from the typical Tuesday election day because it fell too close to Labor Day.
Gov. Dan McKee, a Democrat, signed off on the change earlier this week. The primary election had been scheduled for Sept. 8, which is the day after the holiday weekend.
State and local officials had requested the change after raising concerns about having enough time to set up polls for voters. However, under the legislation enacted, the filing deadlines will remain the same.
“We have to set up over 400 polling places around the state on the day before the election,” Nick Lima, the registrar and director of elections for the city of Cranston, told lawmakers at a hearing in January. “That’s very difficult to do on a holiday because many of our polls are schools, social halls and churches.”
It’s not unusual for states to change their election day. Lawmakers in neighboring Massachusetts changed the state’s 2026 primary election day from Sept. 15 to Sept. 1, arguing that doing so will help improve voter turnout.
Only four states hold their primary elections in September: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Delaware, which has the latest primary date in the U.S., taking place this year on Sept. 15.
Legislation seeking to move up Delaware’s primary election by several months has been introduced in the statehouse, but previous attempts to do so have stalled.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island State Police are investigating a crash that happened on I-295 North in Cumberland Tuesday night.
The crash happened in the right lane near Exit 22 just before 9 p.m.
It’s unclear exactly what caused the crash or if anyone was injured.
12 News has reached out to Rhode Island State Police for more information but has not heard back.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
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Rhode Island’s Democrat and Republican primary elections will officially be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9 this year, instead of the usual Tuesday election day.
Lawmakers passed the bill at the urging of state and local officials, who were concerned that an election day falling the day after Labor Day would not give them enough time to set up polls for the arrival of voters.
Gov. Dan McKee signed the bill on April 20, officially moving the primary day for 2026.
Which races will be on the ballot? The Republican and Democrat nominees for a swath of local offices – most notably governor but also lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Why was RI’s primary day moved?
At a hearing on the bill earlier this year, Randy Rossi, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns explained the “significant logistical and financial challenges” municipalities otherwise would have faced having an election the day after Labor Day.
“Beyond cost, municipalities face serious logistical challenges accessing and setting up more than 430 polling locations on a major federal holiday, a process that often requires many hours and access to facilities that are typically closed and unstaffed on Labor Day,” he said.
“Compounding these challenges, many municipalities conduct early voting in city or town halls that must also serve as primary day polling locations,” Rossi noted.
Without changes to current law, he said, “municipalities would be required to conduct early voting and primary day polling simultaneously, often in the same limited space and with the same poll workers, requiring additional staffing and facilities.”
By the time this legislative hearing took place in January, other states facing similar issues, including Massachusetts, had already adjusted their primary dates, “and Rhode Island itself has demonstrated that alternative scheduling can be successful, as occurred during the statewide Wednesday primary in 2018,” Rossi said.
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