Stolen RI Cruiser: Fugitive's Friends Harbored Him In Cumberland

SCITUATE, RI — At a press conference Saturday, state police Col. Ann Assumpico gave some details about the Friday night arrest of Donald Morgan, 35, suspected of taking off in a state police cruiser Thursday morning. He now faces multiple criminal charges, she said. The list includes

They are:

• Daniel Medeiros, 54, of Cumberland; and

• Rachael Read, 47, Cumberland.

Morgan initially had been arrested about 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 8, after a car crash on Interstate 95 South, near the intersection with Route 10. Troopers investigating the crash learned that the car had been reported stolen the day before.

He was arrested at that time and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle/parts and obstructing an officer in the execution of duties for allegedly providing misinformation about his identity at the time of his arrest, she said.

After the crash, he went to Rhode Island Hospital, was released and spent the night in custody at the Lincoln Woods Barracks, pending arraignment in Sixth Division District Court on Thursday. It was on the way to court that he stole the cruiser.

"The investigation showed that Morgan was being transported in the rear seat of the cruiser with his hands cuffed in front of him due to the nature of the injuries suffered in the crash that led to his arrest," state police said. Around 9 a.m., the trooper "stopped to investigate a car crash blocking the southbound lanes of travel on Route 146 in Providence. When the trooper got out of his cruiser to check on the wellbeing of the motorists involved in the crash, Morgan took control of the cruiser and drove off."

The cruiser was recovered about a half-hour later. Providence police found it on Vineyard Street. A search started for Morgan, who was found Friday night in Cumberland.