DUI Suspect Fights Officers During July 1 Arrest

WARWICK, RI — Warwick officers arrested a wrong-way driver on Kilvert Street for suspicion of DUI July 1 at 12:06 a.m., adding an assault charge as the woman resisted the arrest.

According to Officer Corbin Pereira’s report, he spotted a driver in a 2024 Lincoln Corsair going east in the west lane before partially righting their path to turn left at the intersection of Jefferson Boulevard, crossing two lanes of travel as they did so. In the process, the Corsair driver nearly struck a car stopped at the red light on Jefferson Boulevard, according to Pereira’s report.

Pereira pulled the driver over, but they stopped in the middle of the right lane at the Jefferson Boulevard intersection with Thurber Street. Pereira spoke with the driver and identified her as Cheryl Eley, 65, of 60 Dogwood Drive, Apt. 302, West Warwick, RI.

Eley had bloodshot, watery eyes, Pereira reported, and had a delayed reaction when asked to roll down her window. When told the reason for the stop, Eley replied, “Ho sh@t, really?”

As they spoke Pereira noted a odor of alcohol on her breath. Pereira asked for her license, and after she looked around inside the car for it for a few moments, the officer asked her to step out of the car. Eley also appeared to have trouble finding the door handle as she did so, according to the report.

Pereira noted she was unsteady on her feet as he escorted her to the sidewalk to perform sobriety tests, and also that there were empty White Claw cans in her car. When asked if she’d drank earlier that night, Eley replied, “Of course I did.” according to Pereira’s report.

When asked to elaborate, Eley said she’d drank a, “Couple of Whiteclaws,” about 30 minutes earlier that night.

During the tests, Eley exhibited a lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary movement in her vision, was unable to walk a straight line as instructed, walking many times without waiting for instructions, and Pereira ended the test.

Pereira asked Eley to turn around and place her hands behind her back, to which she replied, “No,” and backed away from the officer. Pereira and Officer Raymond Pendergast were able to restrain and handcuff her, and move her to their cruiser, where she struggled briefly with them and attempted to kick Pereira before they managed to secure her in the seat.

At one point during this exchange, Eley told the officers,  “No, go f**k yourselves,” according to the report.

At Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, Eley struck jailer Richard Costa’s left arm as they placed her in a cell.

Eley’s Corsair was towed from the street by Christian Towing and kept at that business. Eley was charged with DUI, blood alcohol content unknown, assault, and cited for lane violations, improper turn, and presence of alcohol while driving.

Eley was arraigned on the charges in Third District Court that day, scheduled for a pretrial conference on Sept. 8, and released on $1,000 personal recognizance.