Driver of Stolen Porsche Flees Stop Down Dead End, on Acid

Warwick, RI – The 2014 Porsche Panamera can accelerate to 60 mph in four seconds, topping out at 192 mph, which isn’t much use when the driver’s on acid and pointed at a dead end.

The lesson came a little late for the occupants of the black Panamera which fled a traffic stop at Hoxie Four Corners Jan. 26 at 1:26 a.m., traveling at high speed on several streets including Miantomono Drive and Lakeside Avenue, then crashing on Columbia Avenue, a dead end, according to police reports.

Both the passenger, Amy Duggan, 23, of 178 High St., Andover, MA and the driver, James A. Pastore, 32, of 151 Hope Road, Cranston, RI, survived the crash after the Porsche jumped a snowbank and collided with a firepit at 181 Colombia Ave., landing against a tree.

During the chase, a check of the car’s license plate revealed it had been reported stolen from Mattos Company, Inc. of Malden, MA.

Warwick officers caught up with the pair shortly after the crash, arresting them after pulling both from the passenger’s side door of the car. The other door was pinned against the tree.

After a brief struggle, officers Jeffery Taranto and Jeremy Smith were able to handcuff Pastore, who told them he’d swallowed five drops of acid between the traffic stop and the crash. Officers found one remaining dose in Pastore’s pockets.

Pastore apologized for resisting arrest, telling officers he was “f***** up on acid.”

The encounter began when Sgt. John McAniff stopped the Porsche, which matched the description of a suspicious vehicle reportedly slowing along Lane Two to allow the occupants to look at mailboxes, according to the officer’s report.

There were also reports of the man walking through yards to look at the mailboxes, according to Taranto’s report.

After stopping for McAniff, the Porsche suddenly took off at a high rate of speed, the officer reported.

The car sped along roads, ignoring stop signs and not pausing before making turns, making it difficult for officers to pursue the vehicle on slick streets. McAniff reported he did not intend to pursue the Porsche given the information available at the time, but it was headed toward other officers in the area.

Duggan, who cooperated with officers’ commands after being pulled from the car, said she and Pastore had been looking for a friend’s house, which is why they were looking at the mailboxes. She told officers Pastore had just leased the Porsche. She said she was unaware it was stolen.

Duggan was charged with possession of a stolen car, a felony. She waived extradition, and was released on personal recognizance until a court screening scheduled for March 2 in Third District Court.

Pastore was cited for reckless eluding an officer, driving after denial/suspension of his license, laned roadway violations, failing to obey a stop sign, failing to use a turn signal, for starting from a stop, and improper turning at an intersection.

Pastore was also charged with possession of a stolen car, and possession of a schedule I, II, III, IV, V drug, LSD, both felonies. At a court hearing on Jan. 26, Pastore waived extradition, and was ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston.

He is scheduled for a screening on the Warwick charges on March 2 in Third District Court.