Update: Central Falls Cruiser Crash Under Internal Investigation

UPDATE, April 6: City spokeswoman Sarah Dell said that Deangelo Vaughan, the driver of the Kia, has been charged with reckless driving/eluding police and driving on a suspended license. Asked if a Central Falls police officer engaged in a high-speed chase before crashing, Dell said all vehicle pursuits involving Central Falls Police are investigated by the Central Falls Police Department."This pursuit is currently under investigation," she wrote.

CENTRAL FALLS, RI — Rhode Island State Police have wrapped up an initial probe into the circumstances surrounding a late-night crash in Lincoln last month involving a Central Falls Police cruiser, a civilian vehicle, and a utility pole.

The two-vehicle crash occurred after 11 p.m. on March 21 and sent four people to the hospital. Three occupants of a Kia and one Central Falls officer were transported via ambulance with minor injuries and complaints of pain, Rhode Island State Police spokesman Captain John Allen told Patch.

Live in Central Falls? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. You can also download our free Patch mobile app on Android or iPhone.

Deangelo Vaughan, 25, of Lincoln was behind the wheel of the Kia, and had two passengers in the car, Allen said.

The incident began in Central Falls when a Kia refused to pull over for a Central Falls officer, state police investigators found. The officer had witnessed multiple motor vehicle violations and activated his cruiser's blue lights, but the driver took off, Allen said. The officer pursued the Kia as it traveled into Lincoln. The Kia was heading back towards Central Falls on Higginson Avenue when the car suddenly turned left onto Middle Street. The Kia crashed into a metal guide cable attached to a utility pole. The cruiser, closely following the Kia, also took a sharp left onto Middle Street and then crashed into the utility pole, taking it down.

Initial reports from the scene indicated the presence of many emergency vehicles, including multiple ambulances, and live wires across the roadway. The incident caused a power outage.

Last month Central Falls Police Chief Col. Anthony Roberson confirmed the involvement of a city cruiser in a "serious car crash" in Lincoln on March 21, but in a prepared statement declined to provide details or say what a Central Falls Police officer was doing in Lincoln.

Allen said it's standard practice for state police to investigate crashes involving municipal police officers. However, as Dell clarified, the pursuit itself remains under internal review by the Central Falls Police Department.

Patch did not learn how fast the vehicles were traveling at the time of the crash. Rhode Island state law places limits on the use of high-speed pursuits by local police departments, with additional reporting required in pursuits that cross town lines.