Rhode Island State Police Arrests Three Subjects for Driving Under the Influence
Rhode Island – Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Commissioner of Public Safety, announces that earlier this morning members of the Rhode Island State Police arrested a Providence man for Driving Under the Influence of Liquor and/or Drugs-1st Offense-BAC Unknown, Refusal to submit to a Chemical Test, Duty to Stop in Accident Resulting in Damage to Attended Motor Vehicle, Obstruction of an Officer in the Execution of Duty and Operating on a Suspended License.
On February 18, 2016, at approximately 12:05 a.m. Troopers responded to reports of a motor vehicle crash on Route 95 south at Exit 22 in the City of Providence. The investigation revealed that the operator of a motor vehicle veered into a construction zone and struck a Department of Transportation attenuator truck that was protecting work crews. The operator of the motor vehicle then fled the scene on foot, jumped over the center median barrier and ran across three lanes of Route 95 northbound traffic. Troopers apprehended the subject on Route 95 north in the vicinity of Providence Place Mall. There were no injuries associated with this accident; however, two lanes of Route 95 south were closed to traffic as a result.
The operator of the vehicle that collided with the construction truck was identified as Adam Johnstone, age 28, of 175 Kimball Street, Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Johnstone displayed signs of impairment and was transported to State Police Headquarters, where he refused to submit to a chemical test, was processed and charged with the following offenses:
• Driving Under the Influence of Liquor and/or Drugs—1st Offense—BAC Unknown
• Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test
• Duty to Stop in Accident Resulting in Damage to Attended Motor Vehicle
• Obstruction of an Officer in the Execution of Duty
• Operating with a Suspended License
Mr. Johnstone was arraigned on February 18, 2016 at the Garrahy Judicial Complex before Judge Madeline Quirk and released on $1,000.00 surety bail. He is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on March 2, 2016 at Garrahy Judicial Complex.
In a separate incident on February 18, 2016 at approximately 1:30 a.m., Troopers conducted a motor vehicle stop on Route 95 north in the City of Warwick, Rhode Island after observing a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and drifting across all four lanes of travel. Troopers identified the operator of the motor vehicle as Michael Power, age 28, of 46 Parkway Avenue, Providence Rhode Island. Mr. Power displayed signs of impairment, and upon further investigation, he was transported to the Rhode Island State Police Wickford Barracks. He refused to submit to a chemical test, was processed and charged with the following offenses:
• Driving Under the Influence of Liquor and/or Drugs – 1st Offense B.A.C Unknown
• Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test
Mr. Power was arraigned on February 18, 2016 at the Noel Judicial Complex in Warwick, Rhode Island before Judge Pamela Woodcock-Pfeiffer and released on $5,000.00 personal recognizance. He is scheduled to appear at Noel on February 29, 2016 for a pre-trial conference.
On February 17, 2016 at approximately 7:09 p.m., Troopers responded to reports of a three- (3) car motor vehicle crash on the ramp from Route 10 south to Union Avenue in the City of Providence. Further investigation revealed that one operator initiated the crash and displayed signs of impairment on scene. This operator was identified as Bernabe Gomez, age 38, of 598 Union Avenue, Apartment 1, Providence Rhode Island. There were no reported injuries stemming from this investigation. Mr. Gomez was transported to Rhode Island State Police Headquarters, processed and charged with the following offenses:
• Driving Under the influence of Liquor and/or Drugs 1st offense BAC .10-.15 (Phase I-.145, Phase II-.147)
Mr. Gomez was arraigned at State Police Headquarters by a Justice of the Peace Stephen Gaffney and released on $1,000 surety to the custody of a responsible adult.
A person convicted of DUI-1st offense may be subject to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or not more than three hundred dollars ($300), may be required to perform ten (10) to sixty (60) hours of community service, and/or shall be imprisoned for up to one (1) year. The person’s driver’s license is suspended for a minimum of thirty (30) days and a maximum of one hundred eighty (180) days and may be prohibited from operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock system.
A person convicted of refusal to submit to a chemical test (1st violation) may be punished with suspension of driver’s license or privilege to operate a vehicle for six (6) to twelve (12) months, a fine of two hundred ($200) to five hundred ($500) dollars, community service of ten (10) to sixty (60) hours and a course on driving while intoxicated and/or alcohol or drug treatment.
A person convicted of duty to stop in accidents resulting in damage to vehicles may be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), and/or his or her driver’s license or operating privilege in the state may be suspended for a period up to six (6) months, and/or he or she may be imprisoned for a period not to exceed 6 months.
A person convicted of Operating with a Suspended License (1st conviction) may be subject to a fine not less than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) shall be imposed, and imprisonment for a term not to exceed thirty (30) days may be imposed.
A person convicted of Obstructing an Officer in the Execution of Duty may be imprisoned not exceeding one (1) year or be fined not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500).