NK Man Charged after Leading EG Police on Wild Chase

EAST GREENWICH, RI—A North Kingstown man who left a long strip of burnt rubber on Upland Avenue and then led police on a wild chase through town has been charged with reckless driving, eluding police and driving with a suspended license.

Police arrested Thomas E. Campbell, 35, of 125 Lincoln St., shortly after they called off their pursuit when his reckless driving posed a grave threat to the public, according to a police report.

During the March 31 pursuit, which included downtown Main Street at around 5:45 p.m., police clocked Campbell driving a black Ford F-150 65 mph in a 30 mph zone and saw him drive through multiple stop signs, watched him drive onto the curb on Main Street to drive around a police blockade, race through a red light at Main Street and First Avenue, drive in the wrong lane and cut off cars turning onto Old Forge Road "almost causing a collision" and nearly striking multiple cars along the way.

Police stopped giving chase when Campbell reportedly crossed over the border into North Kingstown onto Pojac Point Road.

Meanwhile, police ran the truck's plate and got the name of the vehicle owner, who reportedly is Campbell's sister. North Kingstown police told East Greenwich police that they suspected that the driver was Thomas Campbell.

North Kingstown officers arrested Campbell on a warrant shortly after midnight and turned him over to East Greenwich police to be arraigned. He was later released on cash bail and is due to appear in court on April 22 for a pretrial conference.

Court records show Campbell has been arrested about 20 times since the early 2000s and has two convictions for driving under the influence, three for domestic related offenses, and multiple arrests vandalism, obstruction, disorderly conduct and simple assault.