Warwick, RI – When three officers were called to the scene of a head-on collision at 900 Centerville Road March 8 at 10:46 p.m., one of the drivers involved told officers he’d caused the crash while texting, but wound up charged with DUI instead.
Officer Sokphannareth Chea spoke with both drivers, a man and a woman, both of whom reported they were OK, according to his report. The man, later identified as Phillip Thomas, 42, of 25 Hayes St., Warwick, told him, “I’m sorry I was texting and driving, which made me get into the accident,” the officer reported.
An ambulance arrived and transported the woman from the crash site, and Chea continued talking with Thomas, from whom he could smell a strong odor of alcohol, he reported.
Chea asked Thomas if he’d had anything to drink that night, to which the driver said, “Two nips,” according to the report. The officer asked him to take a series of field sobriety tests.
Thomas agreed to the tests, which he didn’t pass. He showed a lack of smooth pursuit in his vision, stepping off the line during the walk-and-turn, and put his foot down and waved his arms for balance during the one-leg-stand.
Chea arrested Thomas on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Chea transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters at 99 Veterans Memorial Highway, where he refused to submit to a breath test.
Chea charged Thomas with driving under the influence, blood alcohol unknown, and cited for refusing to submit to the breath test.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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