A RI state police sergeant was pulled over for reckless driving. What happened next has the agency reeling

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2 days ago

A former Rhode Island state police sergeant faced a reckless driving charge in District Court on Tuesday, July 29, making his first appearance in a months-old case that has led state police commanders to criticize the performance of their own agency.
Nuno M. Vasconcelos is accused of swerving wildly as a fellow state trooper pulled up behind his truck on Interstate 295 during the March 23 incident.
After the trooper stopped him, Vasconcelos then drove away from the scene in Cranston, according to a state police affidavit.
WPRI first reported on July 29 that state troopers responded to 911 calls placed that night about an erratic driver on I-295 in Cranston. That driver was Vasconcelos.
From there, the handling of the situation grew murky that night. In a statement, state police spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Creamer said commanders are 'disappointed with the response to the incident that night and the lack of appropriate guidance and supervision.'
'It did not meet the expectations of the Rhode Island State Police,' Creamer said in a statement obtained by The Providence Journal.
Warrant details erratic driving based in part on video
Vasconcelos' arrest comes almost two months after his May 5 retirement and almost three months after a review of video recordings captured by the trooper's body camera and dashboard camera from the troopers' encounter with the sergeant.
The arrest follows another disappointing episode for the force earlier this year, when the organization's commanding officer, Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, announced that two troopers had been fired for displaying poor judgment and a "lack of empathy" for the family of a man who was struck and killed on Interstate 95 in 2024.
Two 911 callers had told state police about the erratic operation of a GMC pickup that had rolled west on Route 6 in Johnston and then driven south on I-295, according to the affidavit and warrant application.
Video captured by Trooper Jarrett Clarke shows the GMC swerving "continuously" between two lanes of travel on approach to Route 37.
The truck then rolled into the breakdown lane, and Clarke switched on his lights and sirens for a stop, the affidavit says.
At this point, it says, the GMC continued driving south for about 50 seconds.
It swerved between two lanes and nearly struck a cement jersey barrier, the record says.
At 1:53 a.m., the truck stopped on the very beginning of an exit ramp, still on the highway, where there was no breakdown lane, according to the warrant.
The trooper identified the driver as Vasconcelos, it says.
'A slight odor of an alcoholic beverage'
Vasconcelos appeared confused about why he had been stopped, says the affidavit.
Clarke detected "a slight odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person/breath.'
Vasconcelos questioned Clarke after the trooper called for a tow.
At Clarke's direction, police say, Vasconcelos "eventually" took a seat in the trooper's front passenger seat.
But as troopers discussed the situation, Clarke said he saw Vasconcelos leave the cruiser.
Clarke told him he would move the truck, which drew an aggressive response with Vasconcelos using an obscenity multiple times, it says, adding that Vasconcelos told Clarke that the trooper should follow him to his home, asserting, "I'm going to drive in a straight line."
Vasconcelos then climbed into his truck and drove away, according to the affidavit. That's what the video shows, with no further pursuit. The video does not show any sobriety test either.
The author of the application is state police Lt. Robert Richardson, who says that he and a state police sergeant reviewed the camera recordings in March and April.
Governor: Vasconcelos was forced to retire
Vasconcelos was "put on administrative leave when members of the Command Staff learned of the incident," Creamer said.
Vasconcelos retired on May 5. His tenure with the state police was 20 years, Creamer said.
Vasconcelos' retirement was forced, according to Gov. Daniel McKee.
"We expect our police officers to not only uphold the law in the community, but model lawful behavior for the community," McKee said in a statement.
"After being briefed by the RI State Police about the incident with the off-duty state trooper, I agreed that the sergeant's behavior was inexcusable and approved his involuntary retirement, effective immediately," McKee said.
The charges of reckless driving and obstructing an officer are misdemeanors.
Judge Patrick J. O'Neill released Vasconcelos on personal recognizance.
"My job is to find out what the facts are so I can help Sgt. Vasconcelos," said the defendant's lawyer, Edward C. Roy Jr.
Roy said he would closely review the body camera video.
With staff reports from Patrick Anderson
This story has been updated with new information and video.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI state police charge sergeant with reckless driving months later
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