DUI, Meth Possession Charges Follow Jan. 31 Stop

WARWICK, RI — On Jan. 31, at 1:30 a.m., Officer Frank Matarese pulled over a swerving gray Honda Civic on Warwick Avenue, charging the driver with DUI and meth possession.

Matarese noticed the car in front of him headed north on Warwick Avenue, going 45 mph in the 35 mph zone, crossing over the dotted line five times, correcting itself each time. He pulled the car over at the intersection with Smile Court, though it didn’t immediately stop. Instead, the car stopped just before Church Street, according to the officer’s report.

When asked for his license and registration, the driver, later identified as Jonathan Turbin, 42, of 35 Glenwood Ave., Cranston, RI, replied, “I just want to go home,” according to the officer’s report.

As they spoke, Matarese noted Turbin smelled of alcohol, his face was flushed and his eyes were bloodshot. When asked if he’d had any alcohol, Turbin replied, “I had water,” according to the report.

Matarese invited Turbin to perform sobriety tests, which he agreed to, demonstrating a lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary eye movement in his vision, an inability to walk heel-to-toe, during which he used his arms for balance and swayed heavily during a one-leg stand test, and also hopped to keep his balance.

Matarese informed Turbin he would be arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and transported to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where Turbin submitted to a breath test of his blood alcohol, registering a .158 and .156 on successive breath tests.

Matarese charged Turbin with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol, .15 or greater,  and also for having a Schedule 1-V Substance, meth possession, after about 2 grams of Methamphetamines were found in his backpack. He was scheduled or a hearing in Third District Court to answer the charges.