A Warwick resident, Richard Stanley, has been convicted by a Kent County Superior Court jury for a driving incident that injured a Rhode Island State Police (RISP) trooper in 2021. The verdict was announced by Attorney General Peter F. Neronha. The four-day trial concluded on February 8, 2024, with Stanley found guilty of driving to endanger and driving under the influence. His sentencing is set for April 26, 2024.
The incident took place on December 28, 2021. Stanley, under the influence, crashed his car into a RISP cruiser on Interstate 95 South in Warwick. The trooper had stopped another vehicle when Stanley’s car hit the cruiser from behind. Investigators found that Stanley was driving at 52 mph and did not brake in the five seconds before the crash.
After the crash, Stanley admitted to drinking alcohol and taking Xanax. A blood test at Rhode Island Hospital confirmed a Blood Alcohol Concentration of .011% and the presence of Alprazolam (Xanax) in his system.
RISP Colonel Darnell S. Weaver stated that the incident was avoidable and could have had more severe consequences. He expressed relief that a tragedy was averted and stressed the importance of sober driving for public safety.