Driver Arrested for Defunct License Following Crash

WARWICK, RI — Warwick Police responding to a May 22 crash near the 1291 Warwick Ave. Cumberland Farms arrested the driver of a defunct car whose license was also defunct.

Officers called to the gas station for a report  of a crash initially found  the driver, Gregory Lamont Ward, 41, of 5 Granite St., West Warwick, in the passenger’s seat of the silver 2004 Saturn Vue, according to the report. The Saturn brand was discontinued  with Pontiac by General Motors in 2010.

The officers, Michael Roccio and Paris Norwood, eventually learned from Ward that he had been the driver, but had switched seats with his passenger because his license had expired. The driver of the other vehicle in the crash,  also identified  Ward as the driver at the time of crash. After, the two drivers pulled their vehicles into the Cumberland Farms lot, according to Roccio’s report.

Roccio learned from police records that this would be Ward’s fourth time driving on a suspended license, and arrested him on the charge. Ward had  previously been charged with driving without a valid license  in 2014, 2015, and 2018.

The officers transported  Ward to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he was charged with driving with a suspended license, fourth offense, and scheduled for a June 6 arraignment on the charge in Third District Court. He was arraigned and released on $1,000 personal recognizance with a July 12 pretrial conference date.