A late-night traffic stop exploded into a political drama, spotlighting a prominent Rhode Island Democrat’s shocking behavior.
The Daily Mail reported that Maria A. Bucci, the 51-year-old chairwoman of Cranston’s Democratic Committee and a former mayoral candidate, landed in hot water with a misdemeanor DUI arrest after a heated clash with East Greenwich police just past midnight on December 18, now facing multiple charges and an upcoming court date.
Police spotted a white Lincoln Aviator weaving on Division Street, leading to a stop that quickly turned hostile. Officer Anthony St. Laurent noticed Bucci’s "severely bloodshot, glassy and watery eyes" and smelled a strong whiff of alcohol from her car.
Bucci handed over a possibly expired license and couldn’t find her registration, snapping, "I don’t have it, what do you want?" per the arrest report. That sharp tone hinted at the defiance to come.
She claimed she’d only sipped one glass of wine at a Christmas party while dropping off her cousin, yet kept asking officers, "You know who I am, right?" as noted in police records. That line drips with privilege, a frustrating echo of those who think status buys a free pass.
Things escalated fast as Bucci grew furious, slurring words, spitting while shouting, and stonewalling field sobriety tests. Officers described her as confrontational, far from the composure expected of a public leader.
Bucci didn’t just name-drop; she grilled officers on their ages, bragged about law enforcement ties, and ordered her cousin to call her husband and the attorney general. Such actions suggest a troubling belief that connections trump the law, clashing with basic fairness.
Even after handcuffs, her anger roared on with insults and harsh words about police, according to the report obtained by ABC 6 News. She sneered, "You guys are gross," fanning the flames of an already tense scene.
At the station, her verbal barrage persisted with profanity and threats, revealing a loss of control under scrutiny. Officer St. Laurent wrote that Bucci called him an "evil [expletive] piece of [expletive]," a vicious jab that undercuts any excuse of mere irritation.
By refusing a breathalyzer, Bucci left her blood alcohol level a mystery, a choice that piled on legal woes. She now faces citations for roadway violations and declining a chemical test alongside the DUI charge.
After arraignment by a justice of the peace for her first DUI, Bucci walked free on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond. She’s due back in Kent County District Court on January 5.
During the ordeal, Bucci tossed out comments on race and police, muddying a straightforward traffic stop. Those remarks, likely fueled by emotion, sidetrack the real issue: taking responsibility for one’s actions.
Public figures, no matter their party, must face the same rules as everyone else—if not stricter ones, given their platform. Bucci’s conduct, if confirmed in court, casts a shadow on leadership in a time of already shaky trust.
This isn’t just about a single bad night; it’s a warning about privilege and expecting leniency. When leaders ask, "You know who I am?" it’s a red flag for anyone who cherishes equal treatment.
