Driver Stopped With No Lights, Charged With DUI

WARWICK, RI — The driver of a brown 2011 Chevy Malibu with no lights on West Shore Road New Year’s Eve faces a DUI charge Feb. 7.

Officer Nicholas DeLuca  spotted the Mailibu headed west on West Shore Road near #3475 Jan. 1 at 1:06 a.m., with no headlights on, swerving over the double yellow lines, according to the officer’s report.

DeLuca  turned and stopped the car at Post Road and Locust Avenue, and identified the driver as Christopher Dapont, 20, of 28 Elena St., North Providence, RI.

Dapont told DeLuca  he was leaving a New Year’s Eve party in Warwick, headed home in North Providence. When asked why he was swerving, with no headlights on, Dapont replied that he hadn’t noticed either of those details, according to the officer’s report.

As they spoke DeLuca  reported noticing Dapont’s eyes were bloodshot, and an odor of alcohol on his breath. The officer invited him to a series of sobriety tests.

During the tests, Dapont demonstrated a lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary eye movement in his vision, stepped off-line during a walk and turn test and put his foot down, swayed and used his arms for balance during a one-leg stand.

DeLuca  arrested him on suspicion of DUI, and transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he refused to submit to a breath blood alcohol test.

DeLuca  charged Dapont with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, first offense, with a hearing Jan. 20 in Kent County Third District Court. He was subsequently scheduled for a pretrial conference on the charge on Feb. 7.

DeLuca  also cited Dapont for refusing the breath test, not using his headlights, and lane violations.