WARWICK, RI — Officer Richard Odell was patrolling on Toll Gate Road March 4 at 9 p.m. near the intersection of Centerville Road, in the rotary, when he saw a blue Nissan Altima enter the rotary without slowing, yielding and switching lanes without a signal, all of which prompted the officer to stop it, eventually arresting the driver on a DUI charge.
Odell stopped the Altima on Centerville Road, near the Rte. 95 overpass, and spoke with the driver, identifying her as Elenore Ignacio, 40, of 281 Hope Furnace Road, Hope. Ignacio told the officer she was returning from a baby shower, where she had had a few glasses of wine, according to Odell’s report. The officer noted an odor of alcohol on her breath, and could hear that her speech was slurred.
During a a series of sobriety tests, Ignacio demonstrated a lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary eye movements in her vision, an inability to maintain heel-to-toe cadence, and that she was unable to balance on one foot without using her hands, nor for very long.
Odell arrested her on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and transported her to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where she refused a breath blood alcohol test. Odell subsequently charged her with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, and cited her for refusing the test. She was also cited for failing to yield and for failing to use a turn signal.
Ignacio was scheduled for a hearing in Third District Court on April 10. She was released into the custody of her husband.
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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