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Driver Nearly Strikes Officer at Traffic Stop, Arrested on DUI Charge

The Warwick Police Department is located at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive.
The Warwick Police Department is located at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive. A Motorcyclist was Killed Saturday after crashing with a car on Airport Road.
The Warwick Police Department is located at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive. An officer arrested a man on a DUI charge on Rte. 95 Sept. 2.

WARWICK, RI — Warwick Officer William Holz had just stopped a car on Centerville Road near TGIF Friday’s Sept. 9 at 2:26 a.m. when two cars sped toward him, one a blue 2008 Honda Civic that sounded its horn as it nearly struck him, causing Holz to pursue and pull over the driver, whom he arrested on a DUI charge.

Holz said the Honda passed him so close he had to lean against the care he had pulled over to avoid being struck by its side mirror, according to his report. The officer ended the traffic stop he was conducting and followed the Honda in his cruiser, catching up to it at the intersection of Centerville Road and Quaker Lane, and pulling the driver over.

Holz identified the driver as Daniel Mendoza Bruno, 29, of 49 Parker St., Central Falls, and explained why he’d pulled the driver over. While speaking with the man, Holz noticed a strong odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath, and that he was often turning his head away from the officer. The drivers speech was slurred and his eyes were extremely bloodshot, the officer reported.

Officer Michael Isherwood joined Holz at the location and took over the interview while Holz began filling out paperwork for the arrest. Isherwood told Holz that Bruno had admitted to having six beers and two shots at a night club before following his girlfriend home in her car.

During a series of sobriety tests, Bruno demonstrated a lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary movement in his vision, failed to walk heel to toe or count the right number of steps during a walk and turn test and used his arms for balance, and was unable to balance safely on one foot.

Holz arrested Bruno on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veteran Memorial Drive, where he registered a .123 and .125 on a blood alcohol test. Holz charged him with DUI, first offense, .10 – .15 and held pending a court hearing Sept. 11 in Third Division Court, where he pleaded not guilty. He was scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Oct. 16.

Rob Borkowski
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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