WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — R.I. Public Transit Authority CEO Scott Avedisian pleaded not guilty Wednesday to leaving the scene of an accident with damage, and he refused to answer questions afterward outside Kent County Court.

The former Warwick mayor, who was appointed to lead RIPTA in 2018, made the plea during a brief courtroom hearing where he turned himself in to be arraigned on one count of the misdemeanor charge.

The details of the case were not read aloud in court. But police have accused Avedisian of getting into a fender bender with a second car driven by a 20-year-old man. The incident happened at about 6:15 p.m. last Wednesday in a McDonald's drive-thru on Post Road in Warwick. The second car then hit a third car driven by 24-year-old Arian Andrade, according to police.

On Wednesday, Andrade told reporters her 3-year-old baby was in the backseat of her car at the time of the collision, and when Avedisian got out of his car afterward he seemed "a little intoxicated."

"He was slurring his words and kind of like tipping over," Andrade said outside her home in Providence. "We were asking him, 'Are you OK? Are you fine?' Because he didn't seem like he was in his right mind."

Avedisian has not been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, but the other driver involved in the incident also told police, "he may have been under the influence," according to a newly released police report.

The man told police Avedisian initially got out of his car after the collision, but he "didn't say many words, was in shock, [and his] eyes [were] blood shot red," according to the report. The driver said Avedisian told them "to pull out of the drive thru then immediately drove off and ran away."

Andrade also provided a statement to police saying, "when we got out to confront him he told us to pull over to get his insurance information and instead he drove off," according to the report.

Andrade expressed frustration when asked what she thought about him taking off, adding that he'd told her to pull over into the parking lot to exchange information.

"I told him I had my baby in the car and he didn't ask me if we were OK, he didn't ask if the baby was OK," she said. "To be honest, I don't think he could really understand what was going on. He was just out of it."

There were no injuries reported. Both drivers asked to press charges, according to police.

Officers said they then canvassed the nearby areas and found Avedisian's car parked in his driveway with front-end damage. Police said they attempted to make contact with Avedisian, but he "failed to answer the door after numerous attempts were made by multiple officers by knocking on the door of his home."

"It should be noted that the engine block of the vehicle was still warm," police wrote.

Police said the collision is not captured on surveillance video, but Avedisian was clearly visible ordering food from the fast-food restaurant. The victims' cars were then seen exiting the drive-thru and video captured Avedisian driving straight "in an attempt to exit the parking lot."

The driver of the second car tried to follow and was able to take cell phone pictures of Avedisian's car, according to police.

Avedisian is represented by former R.I. House Speaker John Harwood, who told reporters he'd comment further after he'd obtained all the related documents and video tied to the case.

Avedisian refused to answer multiple questions on Wednesday.

WATCH: Avedisian gives no comment before, after court appearance (Story continues below.)

The incident has come under scrutiny in part because the CEO was driving a RIPTA-issued car at the time, and it's not the first time his driving has made headlines. In 2022, Warwick police said he lost control of his personal vehicle on a Sunday night, swerved off the road and snapped a telephone pole. He was not charged or cited for that incident.

As of Monday, a RIPTA spokesperson said Avedisian remained an active employee at the public transit agency, and that his job status hadn't changed. On Wednesday, Gov. Dan McKee called the court proceeding "a serious issue," but he stopped short of saying whether he plans to make any personnel changes.

"I want to hear a little more details about that," McKee told 12 News. "I think certainly there will be more coming and at that point in time we have to make some determinations."

"Let me see what happens and I'll make comment when I know more what's happening," he added.

Avedisian and Harwood entered court at about 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday. Avedisian was cited last Friday for failing to report the fender bender to police, but he hadn't faced the criminal charge until he turned himself into court for his arraignment. Avedisian was released on $1,000 personal recognizance and his next court date is scheduled for April 25.

Following the court hearing, Avedisian turned himself into Warwick police to be fingerprinted and photographed prior to his release, according to police.

"He needs something to show him that he can't just keep doing that," Andrade said, explaining she read up about his past driving issues. "Next time it could be more serious. He could hit somebody on main street. He could kill somebody -- kill himself. It could be worse."

Erica Ricci contributed to this report.