WARWICK, RI — Officer Ali Jaafar was leaving Airport Plaza on Post Road headed north when a maroon 2004 Honda Civic passed his cruiser with no lights at 11:13 p.m., prompting a traffic stop that ended with a DUI charge for the East Providence driver.
Jaafar attempted an immediate traffic stop as the Civic continued north into the right turn lane for Airport Road, stopping at the intersection for a red light, then driving straight through the intersection instead of turning. The Civic continued another quarter mile before finally stopping near the Kentucky Road intersection with Post Road.
Jaafar identified the driver as Royah Sultan, 23, of 75 Maple St. Ave., Riverside, in East Providence, RI. The officer noted a strong odor of alcohol coming from her breath in his report. Jaafar also noticed she had bloodshot eyes, a flushed face and extremely slurred speech. Jaafar could also smell a strong odor of perfume in the car, as if it had just been spilled.
Sultan told Jaafar she had been on her way to meet with an acquaintance in Warwick. As she spoke Jaafar also noticed a half empty bottle of wine, re-corked, on the passenger side floor of the car, according to the officer’s report.
A series of sobriety tests did not go well for Sultan. She demonstrated a lack of smooth pursuit in her vision and involuntary eye movements, stepped off-line, mis-counted her steps and waved her arms for balance during a walk and turn test, then forgot the instructions for the one-leg-stand before swaying heavily during it.
Jaafar took Sultan into custody and placed her in his cruiser, after which she told him she had drank two 20-ounce servings of beer that night. She registered a .185 on a portable breath test before being transported to Warwick Police Headquarters at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive.
At headquarters, Sultan refused to take a second breath test. Jaafar charged her with DUI, first offense, blood alcohol unknown, and issued her a citation for refusing the test. She was also issued violations for violating road lanes and for not using her car’s lights.
She was released to a sober adult at 12:15 a.m. April 6.
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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