WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Newly released video shows the aftermath of a collision where police suspect R.I. Public Transit Authority CEO Scott Avedisian rammed into a car at a McDonald's drive-thru and then took off to his home, where he didn't respond to multiple officers knocking on the door.
Warwick police released body-worn camera footage from the incident in response to a public-records request by Target 12, showing several officers responding to the Post Road fast-food restaurant after the alleged hit-and-run. (An edited version of the video is above.)
The video shows two victims telling police a white man driving a black SUV smashed into the back of a BMW, pushing the car into a third vehicle in the drive-thru.
The victims said the man got out of the car, told them to pull over into the parking lot, and then drove off without exchanging any information.
When asked whether there were any signs the driver was intoxicated, the BMW driver said, "He definitely wasn't straight."
"Could you tell if his eyes were bloodshot?" an officer asked.
"Yeah, they were definitely bloodshot," the driver responded.
Video shows the officers talked to two women who had an infant child in the third car. One of the women, whose face is blurred in the video, said Avedisian "got out and seemed very intoxicated."
A separate video shows police responding to Avedisian's home, where they confirm front-end damage to his RIPTA-issued Ford SUV. Several police try knocking on his door, looking in through the windows and ringing the doorbell. There is no response to the door and at one point an officer can be seen putting his hand on top of the hood of Avedisian's SUV. Police later said the car engine was still warm.
Standing outside Avedisian's home, one officer recalled that the victims in the collision had described the driver as having "bloodshot watery eyes" and that "he seemed intoxicated."
Avedisian last week pleaded not guilty to leaving the scene of an accident that caused damage. He has not been charged with driving under the influence, and the case is now being handled by R.I. Attorney General Peter Neronha's office.
The RIPTA board has called a special meeting Thursday to discuss his future with the agency. Avedisian is represented by former R.I. House Speaker John Harwood.
On Tuesday, Harwood told Target 12: "The allegation of intoxication is a stretch. He was never charged with that."
Avedisian was a longtime Warwick mayor before former Gov. Gina Raimondo recommended him to lead the state's public transit agency in 2018.
He has refused to answer questions publicly since the suspected hit-and-run.
Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook.
Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.