PROVIDENCE, RI — A police pursuit that started in Warwick ended with a crash, a foot chase and an arrest on Interstate 95 in Providence Monday afternoon, according to police. Officers say the driver, identified as Nelson Pires, kept going after the pursuit was called off, then lost control of his car, abandoned it and ran from officers.
Providence police said Pires allegedly punched a detective in the face as officers tried to stop him on foot. The detective did not need medical treatment. Pires was later taken into custody on the northbound lanes of I-95 with help from Warwick and Providence officers, and cellphone video from another driver captured part of the arrest.
Warwick officer spots reckless driving near Jefferson Boulevard
The incident began around 12:40 p.m. when a Warwick police officer saw a driver acting recklessly near Jefferson Boulevard and I-95 north, according to Warwick police Lt. Steve Major. The officer followed the vehicle onto I-95 north as the driver continued eastward into the highway corridor.
Major said the pursuit was stopped when the driver took Exit 36B toward Providence. He said officers would not continue chasing the vehicle into the city. From there, police said, Pires kept driving at a high rate of speed toward Providence.
The decision to break off the chase shifted the response from a traffic stop attempt to a larger search across city streets and highway access roads. Police later said the situation escalated quickly once the vehicle left the interstate and entered Providence.
Camry loses control at Point Street and drops into a parking lot
Police said Pires’s 2019 Toyota Camry exited I-95 north at Point Street about 12:45 p.m. while he was still driving fast. He then lost control while trying to make a turn, and the car crossed both lanes of Point Street before going down an embankment into a parking lot near Point and East Franklin streets.
The Toyota sustained significant front-end damage in the crash. Providence police and traffic officers responded to the scene to investigate what happened and to secure the area near the parking lot and highway ramps.
The crash location put the car in a busy part of the city close to the interstate, which helped set up the next phase of the pursuit. After the wreck, police said Pires left the vehicle behind and ran toward a nearby parking garage.
Foot chase through a parking garage leads back toward the highway
After abandoning the car, Pires fled on foot into a nearby parking garage, according to Providence police. Officers found him there, but he kept running and headed back toward the northbound side of I-95. Police said the chase stayed active as officers followed him on foot.
During that pursuit, investigators said Pires punched a Providence police detective in the face with a closed fist. Authorities said the detective was not seriously hurt and did not require medical treatment.
The chase then moved into a more dangerous setting as Pires ran into the highway lanes. Police from both departments converged on the scene, and Warwick officers ultimately took Pires into custody with assistance from Providence police.
Video from passing driver shows arrest on I-95
A passing driver recorded cellphone video that showed officers detaining Pires on the highway, giving motorists an unusual view of the arrest in progress. The footage came as traffic slowed through the Providence area and drivers dealt with delays connected to the incident.
One driver said the slowdown was unexpected on the way back to work. Another, identified as Eric, said he was surprised the scene happened so close to home, while also noting that police pursuits are not rare.
The traffic impact added another layer to the episode, which had already moved from a reckless driving complaint to a crash and then to a highway arrest. Police have not said how long the delays lasted.
Charges include assault, obstruction and a no-contact order violation
Providence police charged Pires with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, simple assault and obstruction. He was also charged with violating a no-contact order involving a female passenger in the vehicle.
Police said they also found that Pires had an active bench warrant out of Lincoln. In addition to the Providence charges, Warwick police are seeking further charges related to reckless driving and eluding police, working with Providence prosecutors.
Pires suffered a minor cut to his forehead during the arrest and was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment. Police said the circumstances that led to the original reckless driving incident remain under investigation.
