Box Truck Driver Hits Car, Leads Owner, Woonsocket Police on Chase

A Cranston man faces charges of driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and assault with a dangerous weapon after leading Woonsocket Police and his victim on a back road chase at about 6 p.m. March 9.

Michael Levo, 41, was at his Transit Street home when he observed a white box truck (the driver of which was ultimately identified as Michael Collins, 46, of 63 Salem St., Cranston) strike his GMC Yukon on the driver's side. 

He called police, got into his truck and followed him to the intersection of Park Avenue and Transit Street, pulling alongside the box truck and yelling at the driver to pull over.

Instead of pulling over, the man pulled away from Levo's truck, taking several side streets at high speed, striking several cars along the way. On Grand Street, the driver made a sharp turn onto Logee street, striking a snow bank and nearly tipping his box truck over, according to police reports. 

Levo thought the man was stopping, so he put his own vehicle in park and updated police on their location. But then the other man placed his truck in reverse, ramming the front of Levo's vehicle. Levo told police he thought the impact might tip his own truck over. The reckless driver pulled forward then shifted into reverse again, ramming Levo's vehicle a second time.

The box truck driver then pulled away, traveling at high speed on Logee Street until Officer Daniel Lajoie caught up to him in his police cruiser. According to Lajoie's report, he followed the truck through several intersections as it failed to stop for numerous stop signs, clocking it at 65 mph on Logee street. On Logee Street, the box truck swerved and nearly tipped over at one point, its exhaust dragging on the ground. 

Lajoie said the truck narrowly avoided a head-on collision with a car before coming to a final stop in front of Mount St. Charles, where a large number of pedestrians and vehicles were gathered for an event.

The driver immediately got out of the box truck, Lajoie said, and Lajoie arrested him, identifying him as Collins. The officer noted the box truck's passenger side rear tire was flat, the passenger side front tire was cut up, and the wheel there was bent from a broken axle.

Officer Joseph Brazil noted there was white paint transfer and damage on Levo's GMC consistent with his account.

Both Brazil and Lajoie reported a strong odor of alcohol coming from Collins. According to Brazil's report, Collins said he'd been drinking at a friend's house but couldn't remember how much.

Brazil administerd a sobriety test, including a test for smooth pursuit of both eyes, which he failed. While in the process of conducting a walk and turn test, Collins refused halfway through, stating he was too intoxicated to do it, according to Brazil's report.

Brazil reported he spoke to Collins about the hit and run, to which he replied, "It is what it is." When Brazil told him he should have stopped after hitting the first vehicle, Collins replied, "And what, get caught driving drunk?"

Collins was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, refusing a chemical test and felony assault with a dangerous weapon, his truck.