WARWICK, RI — Officer Michael Bailey was driving past 1600 Post Road Sept. 18 at 5:07 p.m. when he stopped and arrested a man in a speeding gray Toyota Scion on a DUI charge.
Bailey used his emergency lights and siren to signal the driver to pull over as he noted it was going 65 mph in a 55 mph zone, but the man failed to stop. Instead, he slowed and continued to Rte. 37, exited at Exit 3, and then pulled into the Shell Gas Station at 1207 Pontiac Ave. in Cranston, according to the officer’s report.
Bailey approached the car, noticing the driver was searching through a backpack in the front passenger’s seat. Bailey removed the man from the car and handcuffed him for failing to stop, Bailey reported. He identified the man as Michael Lynch, 37, of 15 Holiday Drive, Lincoln, RI.
As the men spoke, Bailey reported noting Lynch’s eyes were bloodshot, and his breath smelled of alcohol. When asked if he had been drinking, Lynch replied, “It’s 5 o’clock in the afternoon, of course I haven’t been drinking. Nonetheless, Bailey asked him to perform sobriety tests. Lynch agreed.
During the tests, Lynch demonstrated a lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary eye movement in his vision, did not follow instructions during a walk and turn test, using his arms for balance and stopped at five steps, then had to put his foot down multiple times and swayed during a one-leg stand.
WPD Sgt. Charles Austin assisted Bailey in putting Lynch in Bailey’s cruiser. As Lynch attempted to get in, he nearly fell to the ground, but was caught by Bailey and Austin, according to the report. Lynch was also confrontational and had to be told to get into the cruiser multiple times, Bailey reported.
Once inside the cruiser, Lynch yelled that he would be speaking to Joe Solomon, according to Bailey’s report.
During a search of the Scion, officers found multiple nip alcohol bottles inside Lynch’s backpack, along with two paper bags, each containing a six-pack of Budweiser beer. Two cans were missing from each six-pack, according to the report.
At Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, Lynch continued his confrontational attitude, telling Bailey to perform a sex act when asked if he wanted to make a phone call.
Lynch also refused to take a breath test of his blood alcohol level.
Bailey charged Lynch with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, and cited him for refusing the breath test, a second offense. He was also cited for driving with a suspended license, a third offense.
Bailey also cited Lynch for speeding, following too close and failing to use a turn signal.
Author: Warwick Post Staff
This is a test
