Officer Arrests Man, 72, for Reckless Driving on Bald Hill Road

Warwick, RI – Officer Scott Chanthaphouvong was writing an accident report in the Bald Hill Road Burger King parking lot July 13 at 2:10 p.m. when he saw a gray Ford Taurus peel out of the lot driving south in the northbound breakdown lane (toward East Greenwich) at about 40 mph in heavy traffic.

Chanthaphouvong followed the Taurus as the driver continued south using northbound lanes, eventually crossing into the south lanes of Rte. 2 at the intersection of Tollgate Road. The officer attempted to pull over the car at Haxton’s Liquors, and it finally stopped in the main entrance of the Target Plaza at 1245 Bald Hill Road, according to the officer’s report.

Chanthaphouvong spoke with the driver, identified as Emil Carsetti, 72, of 761 Providence St., West Warwick, asking him if he’d been drinking. The man replied, “I don’t drink and what the f*** are you pulling me over for?”

When Chanthaphouvong explained he’d been stopped for driving dangerously on the wrong side of the road, Carsetti replied, “Come on, are you f***ing serious, those people wouldn’t let me out and I did what I had to do!” the officer reported.

Chanthaphouvong  arrested Carsetti and transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters at 99 Veterans Memorial Dr. On the way, Carsetti inquired about Chanthaphouvong’s ethnicity, stating, “When I was in the army I used to shoot at orientals like you.”

Chanthaphouvong charged Carsetti with reckless driving, for which he is scheduled for a pre-trial conference Aug. 12.

The officer also issued Carsetti citations for Leaving Lane of Travel, Care in From Stop and use of Breakdown Lane for Travel. He is scheduled to appear at the RI Traffic Tribunal Aug. 28 to answer those violations.