NORTH SMITHFIELD – Police are investigating the cause of an early morning single-vehicle crash in Slatersville early Wednesday morning in which the driver may have fled the scene on foot.
According to police, the incident began around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, April 12, when a Burrillville officer spotted the vehicle traveling along the highway headed northbound at an excessive rate of speed.
Col. Stephen Lynch said the officer was unable to catch up to vehicle until it was spotted crashed into a utility pole further along 102 over the town line in North Smithfield in front of Lynch Fence Co.
Col. Lynch said that when officers arrived, there was no one inside the vehicle, which took down multiple power lines by the Slatersville intersection.
By 3:30 a.m., Rhode Island Energy was at the scene and what appeared to be a heavily damaged mini-van was being towed from the area.
North Smithfield police said they had not yet completed the accident report by late Wednesday morning, and Burrillville police said that they were still looking into the identity of the operator and other possible subjects in the vehicle.
“(The) case is still a very active investigation,” Lynch said.
