EAST GREENWICH, R.I. — Body-camera video captured a tense roadside encounter after a former Rhode Island mayoral candidate was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, with police documenting repeated verbal confrontations during the stop and transport.
Maria Bucci, 51, a former Cranston City Council member and current chairwoman of East Greenwich’s Democratic Committee, was arrested shortly after midnight on Dec. 18 after an officer observed her vehicle swerving on Division Street, according Boston.com.
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An East Greenwich police officer reported smelling alcohol on Bucci’s breath and noted that she appeared glassy-eyed and argumentative during the stop. Police said Bucci repeatedly challenged the officer’s authority, at one point demanding, “You know who I am, right?”
Body camera video obtained by Boston.com shows Bucci questioning the officer’s age, referencing family members in law enforcement and accusing him of embarrassing her. During the exchange, she instructed her cousin to call her husband, “the attorney general, and everybody else.”
Police attempted to conduct field sobriety tests, but the video shows Bucci raising her voice and arguing with the officer. At one point, she can be heard asking, “What are you gonna do, shoot me?” before continuing to shout as she was placed in handcuffs.
According to the police report, Bucci continued to direct profanity and threats toward the officer while being transported to the station. Officers documented statements in which she allegedly mocked law enforcement and made threatening remarks.
“I told my kids if they ever became a cop, I’d kill ’em,” Bucci reportedly said. “Only clowns become a cop.”
Bucci was charged with driving under the influence, first offense, with a blood alcohol concentration not listed in court records. She also received multiple traffic citations.
She was released on $1,000 personal recognizance and is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 5.
Bucci previously ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Cranston in 2020 and narrowly lost a bid for state representative in 2024, according to Boston.com. She did not respond to requests for comment, and it was not immediately clear whether she has retained legal counsel.
