Rhode Island police say they caught a councilman with a glass pipe and lighter in hand allegedly smoking crack cocaine behind the wheel of his parked car Monday morning. A bystander notified a police patrol that Matthew Reilly, 41, seemed to be choking, according to a police report obtained by WPRI 12 News, and the officer had to shake him awake upon investigation. He told the cop he was just sleeping, but the “white, rock-like substance” on Reilly’s car center console signaled to the police otherwise. Authorities took Reilly into custody on a count of possession of crack cocaine, and the substance later came back positive for cocaine and fentanyl. Council President Jessica Marino said in a statement to WPRI 12 News that the charge was “very concerning and disappointing,” but noted Reilly’s presumption of innocence. Reilly described himself in campaign materials as a Republican, licensed attorney, father of two, and lifelong resident of Cranston.
