High-Speed Chase Pickup Driver Nabbed Returning Home

WARWICK, RI — A Warwick man in a red pickup led officers on a high-speed chase from West Shore Road down Warwick Avenue April 28 at 6:34 p.m., nearly hitting several cars before an officer waiting for the high-speed chase pickup driver pu

lled him over as he drove home.

Warwick Police were called to Conimicut Variety, 695 West Shore Road at about 6:43 p.m. for a reported fire, which Warwick Fire also responded to, finding no fire at the site, according to Officer Michael Bailey’s report. An employee told officers a man driving a pickup, appearing very intoxicated, had entered the store, asked to use the phone, made a call and then abruptly left.

Officers determined the pickup driver was Steven Davis, 59, of 19 Buena Vista Ave., whom another officer had put an alert out for on a tip that he was driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the report.

Bailey drove down West Shore Road toward Buena Vista Avenue, spotting Davis, whom he had previously met, in a red pickup pulling out of Buena Vista Avenue. As Bailey and Davis made eye contact, Bailey turned on his lights to make a stop, but Davis pulled away at high speed, turning onto Sandy Lane.

As the two vehicles approached St. Kevin’s, Davis abruptly braked his truck in an apparent attempt to cause a rear-end collision, Bailey reported. Davis continued at high speed, break-checking Bailey several times before turning north onto Warwick Avenue.

Davis continued speeding down Warwick Avenue, going around cars in the north and south lanes, almost striking several cars as the two approached the Edgehill Road intersection. By this point, Officer Joseph Diorio was following Bailey, providing other officers details of the pursuit, according to the report.

At Hoxie Four Corners, Davis increased his speed and did not stop for a red light, continuing north and also running a red light at the Squantum Drive intersection. He switched into the southbound lane headed north, accelerating to 60 mph, according to Bailey’s report.

Davis continued to the Narragansett Parkway intersection, driving between two cars and nearly sideswiping each, running that light as well. Davis switched back into the north lane, accelerated to 80 mph, and ran the light at Atlantic Avenue.

At the Post Road intersection, Davis switched to the south lane, nearly struck a car there, and ran that red light, acclerating to 100 mph. He rant the Park Avenue red light, nearly struck two cars and took a left onto Broad Street headed north.

At this point, a WPD Capt. Charles Boisseau ordered officers to end the pursuit. Bailey observed Davis make a right onto Smith Street before losing sight of the pickup.

At about 10 p.m. that night, Officer Keara Enos, conducting a routine patrol of Davis’s neighborhood, spotted Davis in a red pickup on West Shore Road heading in the direction of his address.

Enos pulled the truck over and detained Davis, noting his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, his eyelids drooped and his posture appeared depressed. She called for a tow for the truck by Herb’s Towing and placed him in her cruiser as assisting officers arrived.

Enos noted Davis was also wanted on Domestic Violence charges based on the 24-hour domestic violence rule allowing arrest without warrant when an officer responds to a domestic violence situation and has probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed.

Officers doing an inventory of the pickup found two cans of Twisted Tea 5% alcohol content, one full, one empty. The empty can rolled out of the passenger’s side door and down a storm drain when the door was opened, according to the report.

At Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, Davis refused to submit to a breath test of his blood alcohol level.

Warwick Police charged Davis with:

• DUI, blood alcohol content unknown, first offense
• Eluding Police

Police also cited Davis for:

• Refusing to submit to a breath test
• Operating an unregistered vehicle
• Failing to display plates
• Broken plate light
• Operating without insurance

Davis was also notified to two no-trespass orders against him the VFW at 80 West Shore Road and Stevie D’s Garage at 2570 Warwick Ave.

He was held at the station overnight and arraigned in Third District Court April 29. He was released on Surety $1,000.00 (@10%  $100.00) and is scheduled for a June 10 status conference on the charges.