Scott Avedisian, Warwick’s longest-serving mayor, resigned from his post as CEO of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) on Thursday.

The resignation follows Avedisian’s arrest for leaving the scene of a crash in the parking lot of the McDonald’s on Post Road. While he will not be charged with driving under the influence- something that Warwick Police Chief Bradford Connor said would be impossible to prove after the fact- the drivers of the two cars involved in the collision said that they believed Avedisian may not have been sober.

Avedisian’s next court appearance will be on April 25. He has pled not guilty to a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge.

As part of his severance package, the former mayor will receive a $67,823.73 payout, which RIPTA said in their separation agreement was equivalent to thirteen additional weeks of pay plus Avedisian’s accrued vacation time.

The separation agreement also required Avedisian to return all RIPTA property to the organization, which includes the car he drove in the crash.

In his letter of resignation, Avedisian said that he was proud of initiatives taken by RIPTA during his tenure as CEO, including the Downtown Transit Connector, Electric Bus In-Line Charging Station and the Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center.

“Regrettably, all of these initiatives are now being overshadowed by recent events,” Avedisian said. “I regret that the good work of the employees is being detracted by my actions. Therefore, I respectively submit my resignation and ask that the Board of Directors terminate my contract.”

Avedisian submitted the letter during a meeting last Thursday right before a special meeting of the RIPTA Board of Directors to discuss his employment following his arrest. RIDOT Director Peter Alviti- also the chair of RIPTA’s Board of Directors- said that the organization is currently negotiating an exit package with Avedisian’s lawyers.

The former mayor commended RIPTA employees in his resignation letter, and said that their dedication particularly shone through during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Day in and day out they help move a million passengers a month to connect with school, work and life,” Avedisian said. “During the COVID pandemic, they did not have the option to work from home. We never cut service and we delivered people to vaccination appointments, doctor’s visits and more.”

The RIPTA board voted on Tuesday afternoon to accept Avedisian’s resignation. According to the Rhode Island Current, Chief Financial Officer Chris Durand was named interim CEO.

“As I step into this role at RIPTA, I am grateful for Scott Avedisian’s dedication to RIPTA, as first a board member and then CEO,” Durand stated following his appointment. “I look forward to leading the talented team of RIPTA employees, who put incredible effort into providing a valuable service to riders across the state every day.”

 Avedisian was Mayor of Warwick from 2000 until 2018, when he was appointed RIPTA chief by former gov. Gina Raimondo.

Avedisian’s permanent successor has yet to be named.