Driver: ‘I May Have Had Too Much to Drink,’ Police Agree

WARWICK, R.I.  — Three Warwick Police officers were called for a report of an erratic, possibly impaired, driver running red lights and swerving on the south end of Warwick Avenue at 9:17 p.m. June 23, finding and arresting the man on a DUI charge upon confirming his theory that he had drank too much.

Officer Ali Jaafar was headed north on Warwick Avenue, leaving the Oakland Beach area and was at the Sandy Lane intersection when he saw an old model green Buick with one dim headlight passed him. Jaafar pulled a U-turn to follow. As Jaafar followed the car, he reported, he observed it swerving multiple times, the whole time with its right turn signal on, according to the officer’s report.

Jaafar pulled the Buick over, and was joined by two additional officers as he spoke with the driver, identified as Timoth Reilly, 69, of 31 Oniska St., Warwick, RI, Jaafar reported.

Jaafar noted Reilly’s face was flushed, his eyes severely bloodshot, and had an extremely strong odor of alcohol on his breath, according to the report. Reilly said he had drank about half a bottle of wine celebrating his son’s birthday earlier that day, Jaafar reported. The officer invited him to perform sobriety tests, which he agreed to, stating, “Quite honestly, I may have had too much to drink.”

During the tests, Reilly exhibited a lack of smooth pursuit in his vision and involuntary eye movements. He also stepped off-line during a walk and turn test, and failed to maintain heel-to-toe cadence. Reilly also nearly fell while attempting the one-leg-stand test.

Give Reilly’s statements and performance during the test, Jaafar arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters, where he registered a .174 and .167 blood alcohol during a breath test. Jaafar charged him with DUI, blood alcohol .15 or greater.

Reilly was released with a court summons and transported to Kent County Memorial Hospital.