A former Democratic mayoral candidate in Rhode Island is facing charges of driving under the influence after a late-night traffic stop, during which she repeatedly demanded officers acknowledge her status, asking, 'You know who I am, right?'.
The Traffic Stop and Arrest
Maria A. Bucci, the 51-year-old former Cranston mayoral candidate and current chairwoman of the city's Democratic Committee, was pulled over just after midnight on December 18. An East Greenwich police officer observed her white Lincoln Aviator swerving on Division Street.
According to court documents, Officer Anthony St. Laurent reported that Bucci had 'severely bloodshot, glassy and watery eyes' and that a strong odour of alcohol was immediately detected coming from the vehicle. When asked to provide documentation, Bucci handed over a possibly expired licence and stated she could not locate her registration, reportedly saying, 'I don’t have it, what do you want?'.
'You Know Who I Am?': A Confrontational Exchange
Bodycam footage from the incident, which has since circulated widely, captures Bucci becoming increasingly irate. She told officers she was dropping off her cousin after a Christmas party and had consumed only a single glass of wine.
It was at this point she twice posed the question, 'You know who I am, right?'. The responding officer stated he did not know who she was, to which Bucci retorted, 'You don't care, right?'. Officers confirmed they did not.
Her behaviour escalated as officers attempted to conduct field sobriety tests. Bucci questioned the officers' ages, cited family members in law enforcement, and exclaimed, 'I hope I don't raise a kid like you'. She also demanded her cousin call 'everybody in town', including her husband and the attorney general.
Further Provocation and Booking
At one point, Bucci challenged Officer St. Laurent with, 'What are you going to do, shoot me?' despite him simply attempting to demonstrate a test. In his report, St. Laurent wrote that Bucci 'continued to scream, bark orders and act completely belligerent', adding that she was slurring, spitting, and 'extremely confrontational'.
After several minutes of disputing the tests, Bucci was handcuffed, which further fuelled her outburst. She called an officer a 'loser' in reference to his body-worn camera and shouted insults including, 'You guys are gross' and 'I f***ing can't stand you'.
The verbal abuse continued at police headquarters. The arrest report claims she called St. Laurent an 'evil piece of s***' and cried out that she had told her children 'if they ever became a cop I'd kill them', adding 'only clowns become cops'. During booking, she allegedly threatened, 'I'm going to get you motherf******'.
Charges and Court Date
Bucci was charged with a misdemeanour DUI and later released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond. She refused a breathalyser test, so her blood alcohol content remains unknown. In addition to the DUI charge, she received citations for laned roadway violations and refusal to submit to a chemical test.
Maria Bucci is scheduled to be arraigned on January 5 in Kent County District Court. The case has drawn significant attention due to her political position and the explosive nature of the police bodycam footage.
