NORTH SMITHFIELD – A man with a long history of eluding police and not answering to criminal charges was arrested on three warrants this month after a final attempt to escape the law by providing a fake name.
Carter Thomas, 44, previously of Woonsocket, is now facing charges of felony reckless driving, obstructing an officer and driving without a license, in addition to the counts from three bench warrants.
According to reports on Thomas’s most recent encounters with North Smithfield police, a woman staying at the Traveler’s Motor Lodge told officers in October that Thomas has assaulted her, and officers issued a warrant for his arrest.
At the time, Thomas already had warrants out of Woonsocket for domestic violence, larceny of less than $1,500, driving without a license and violation of a no contact order.
In April, Thomas had an encounter with Rhode Island State Police in which he reportedly fled, resulting in charges of reckless driving, obstructing an officer and driving without a license.
In early May, a North Smithfield officer received a tip that Thomas was staying at the Eddie Dowling Highway motel and tried to locate him, but occupants in the room reportedly refused to answer the door. Police removed the suspended license plate from a blue Chrysler van parked in front of the room.
A week later, an officer reports spotting Thomas pulling into the motel driving that same van with no plates. The van quickly pulled back out of the lot, swerving around several vehicles on Route 146 at a high rate of speed, according to police logs, which note that officers ultimately terminated the pursuit over public safety concerns as Thomas drove onto Route 99 in Lincoln.
Thomas was finally captured on Monday, June 6 as a passenger in a traffic stop in Route 146. According to the report by NSPD, he initially gave officers the name, “Jason King,” but he was identified by his tattoos.
The latest charges are added to a long criminal history dating back to 2005, when Thomas was charged with felony assault, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and eluding police. He’s had new charges almost every year since, including a 2009 incident where he was arrested for kidnapping, first degree robbery and conspiracy. His other past charges have included multiple counts of domestic violence, larceny, assault, vandalism, possession of a controlled substance, disorderly conduct, violation of a no contact order, fraudulent use of a credit card, reckless driving, driving without a license and obstructing an officer.
Thomas was arraigned in Third Division District Court on Tuesday, June 7; Superior Court on Wednesday, June 8 and Sixth Division Court Thursday, June 9 and released on a surety bonds for charges from Woonsocket, North Smithfield and State Police. He is next due back in court for a pretrial conference on Tuesday, June 21.
“Released on bond”…that’s just great for the citizens of RI, the women he has beaten and the police that constantly have to deal with this. The government wants to restrict your right to self protection through ever increasing weapons restrictions, but releases violent criminals out onto the streets regularly. Believe me, our elected leaders, the judges, etc…they just don’t care about the average law abiding citizen and they coddle the thugs in our society. Why do you think this is so?