Speeding Driver Doing 110 mph Gets Reckless Driving Charge

WARWICK, RI — A speeding driver led Warwick officers on a 110 mph chase on Rte. 95 April 7 at 12:41 a.m., ending when the East Greenwich woman slowed to 90 mph as she attempted to deliver her friend to her boyfriend.

Officer Connor Bemis was driving his cruiser south on Rte. 95 past Jefferson Boulevard when the woman’s silver Honda passed him in the far left lane, “at an extremely high rate of speed,” he estimated was well over 100 mph in the clearly posted 55 mph zone. Bemis noted a rainstorm had recently ended, and road conditions on the highway were still “extremely poor,” according to his report.

He radioed dispatch to let them know he was attempting a traffic stop. That proved a challenge as Bemis accelerated to 100 mph himself into the left lane, approaching the Airport Connector, with the Honda still gaining distance on him.

The Honda finally slowed to 90 mph near East Avenue, and Bemis was able to catch up and signal the Honda driver to pull over. The two stopped on the highway near Centerville Road at Exit 27.

Bemis approached the vehicle and identified the driver as Talia Gallucci, 21, of 181 Heritage Drive, East Greenwich, RI, and spoke with her about the reason for the stop. Gallucci admitted to Bemis she had been driving 110 mph in an attempt to get her friend “home to her boyfriend,” according to the report.

Bemis arrested Gallucci, handcuffed her and placed her in his cruiser, then transported her to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where she was charged with Reckless Driving, and also cited for speeding and driving with a suspended license. Her passenger took custody of the Honda and later picked her up from the station after she was processed and released.

Gallucci was scheduled for an April 18 hearing on the reckless driving charge in Third District Court, during which she waived a jury trial, was released on $1,000 personal recognizance and was scheduled for a pretrial conference on May 13, then another on June 10.