Man charged with drug trafficking after high-speed pursuit

WOONSOCKET – After a high-speed vehicle pursuit that ended with a crash in Lincoln, the driver escaped but a passenger from Pawtucket was arrested on multiple drug-trafficking charges.

Brady R. Robinson, 30, of 67 Slater St., was charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver after his arrest about 1 a.m. on March 19.

Patrolman Brett Mattson reported that the arrest came after he pursued a Toyota RAV4 southbound on Route 146 at speeds up to 80 mph. Mattson had seen the vehicle operating erratically and attempted to pull it over, but the operator took off after stopping briefly near Mendon Road and Beausoleil Street.

After boarding Route 146 from Route 99, the vehicle took the southbound offramp onto George Washington Highway in Lincoln. Not far from Bank of America, the operator attempted to perform a u-turn, but lost control of the vehicle due to excessive speed. The vehicle crashed into a guard rail and became disabled, at which point the operator fled on foot, police reports say.

Police searched the vehicle after Robinson was detained and located a satchel in the center console containing 18.1 grams of fentanyl, 22.5 grams of crack cocaine and 17.1 grams of powder cocaine, according to police reports.

In addition to Robinson, police said there were two women passengers in the back seats of the damaged vehicle. Like Robinson, they were described as “uncooperative,” refusing to identify the operator of the black SUV, but the women were released without charges.

The Woonsocket Police Department dispatched the K-9 Officer Recon and his human handler, Officer Jason Berthelette, on what turned out to be a fruitless search for the fugitive driver that led them to the area of Hidden Valley Drive in Lincoln.

Following an appearance in Sixth District Court, Robinson was ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions pending further action in court.