Police seek driver in high-speed chase

By Nicole Muri
Reporter/Anchorwoman
Published: November 30, 2008

PAWTUCKET, R.I.—A simple traffic stop turns into a high-speed chase from Pawtucket into Providence.
 
The suspect left a trail of damage and was still at large Sunday morning. Police are asking for the public’s help in locating the suspect.
 
Officers say a man fled across city lines after traffic stop late Friday afternoon. The suspect apparently caused quite a bit of damage along the way, and remains at large.

Pawtucket police surveyed the damage and searched for evidence along Water Street where the chase began Friday afternoon. A motorist, police attempted to stop for an apparent traffic violation fled, hitting two marked cruisers before hitting the highway.

The suspect’s BMW landed in Providence at the corner of North Main Street and Smithfield Avenue.  Despite the looks of the car, the dents, the deployed airbag, even a bare rim, eyewitness say they saw the driver jump out and elude police.

“We basically heard a big bang, came out and saw a male running.  A black male, he went up 6th Street toward the hospital and a couple of minutes later, cops showed up,“ said eyewitness Al Lopes.

As Providence police documented the second scene in their city, Pawtucket police pitched in and searched the area for the suspect in their cruisers with the help of the K-9 unit.

Investigators quickly identified the suspect.  NBC10 was with police as they knocked on the door of one of the suspect’s relatives.

But the police search came up short and investigators told NBC10 the suspect got away.  That suspect, who police said they have identified, but are not naming at this point, is still on the run.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to please call Pawtucket Police Detectives at 401-727-9100.