Resisting and Fleeing
R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-7-10 — no force against even an illegal arrest, and eluding a pursuit at fifteen miles over the limit
Legal or illegal. It is unlawful to use force or any weapon to resist a legal or an illegal arrest by a peace officer, when the person has reasonable ground to believe it is an arrest by a peace officer.
Resisting is punished by a fine of not more than $500, or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
Driving to elude or flee a traffic officer or police vehicle is a misdemeanor the first time and a felony each time after.
| High speed pursuit | First conviction | Second or later |
|---|---|---|
| High speed pursuitJail | First convictionUp to one year | Second or laterTwo to five years |
| High speed pursuitFine | First conviction$500 to $1,000 | Second or later$2,000 to $5,000 |
| High speed pursuitLicense | First convictionNinety days to six months | Second or laterOne to five years |
| High speed pursuitVehicle | First convictionForfeited | Second or laterForfeited |
The pursuit section applies to eluding an emergency police vehicle at more than fifteen miles per hour over the limit, or causing more than $1,000 in property damage.
Whether an arrest was lawful is decided in court afterward. A particular charge is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-7-10 — Resisting legal or illegal arrest
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-4 — Reckless driving and other offenses against public safety
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-4.1 — Eluding a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle in a high speed pursuit
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Rhode Island attorney.