A high-speed chase that began across the state line in Seekonk ended Thursday evening on Waterman Avenue in East Providence, where police say a white BMW slammed into three vehicles before its driver bolted on foot — twice. After a second pursuit on North County Street, officers caught up with him when an officer deployed a Taser. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for evaluation and faces multiple charges.
Chase Crossed State Lines Before Crash
According to Turnto10, East Providence officers were notified around 5:10 p.m. Thursday that a white BMW fleeing police in Seekonk had entered the city. Massachusetts State Police had warned East Providence officers that the driver might be armed, the station reported. Police said the vehicle then went barreling down Waterman Avenue at high speed, nearly striking several police cruisers and other cars along the way.
The pursuit ended violently near Waterman Avenue and Roma Street, where police say the driver struck one occupied vehicle and two parked vehicles close to 478 Waterman Avenue. The driver, identified by police as Dioni Tavarez-Leonirio of Fall River, then fled the crash scene on foot, according to the same report. Officers brought in K-9 and drone units to track him down.
Second Foot Chase Ends With Taser, Arrest
The search led investigators to a vehicle on North County Street, where officers conducted a traffic stop, the station's report notes. Tavarez-Leonirio fled on foot again before a brief second pursuit ended when an East Providence officer deployed a Taser and took him into custody. He was then transported to Rhode Island Hospital for evaluation and treatment, per the same account.
Police said Tavarez-Leonirio faces charges including reckless driving and eluding police, obstructing an officer in the execution of duty, and resisting arrest. He will also face traffic citations and additional charges in Massachusetts tied to the pursuit that began in Seekonk, the report states. In a separate update, East Providence police said there is no threat to the public following the arrest, as Turnto10 reported in a follow-up on the driver taken into custody after the crash.
What Rhode Island Law Says About Eluding Police
Under state law, a first conviction for operating a motor vehicle to elude or flee a traffic officer or police vehicle is classified as a misdemeanor in Rhode Island, with a second or subsequent conviction rising to a felony, according to Rhode Island General Laws § 31-27-4. That statutory language is general and does not determine how Tavarez-Leonirio's case will ultimately be charged or resolved.
Reports on Tavarez-Leonirio's age conflict: Turnto10 reported he is 23, while a search-result snippet attributed to the East Providence Police Department listed him as 28. Both accounts agree he is from Fall River, but no court appearance, plea, or final disposition of the Rhode Island charges has been reported.
