Roundabout Befuddles Driver Till Arrest on DUI Charge

WARWICK, RI — A white 2014 Jeep Grant Cherokee circled the Greenwich Avenue rotary twice, then head north toward Cranston, swerving at 10:31 p.m. Aug. 4, drawing the attention of Officer Timothy Lipka, who pulled the SUV over, then arrested the driver on a DUI charge.

Lipka was called to the area for a report of a possible DUI driver on Post Road by the Walgreens in Apponaug. Lipka arrived in the area, spotted the Jeep and followed as it circled the Greenwich Avenue rotary twice before swerving onto Greenwich Avenue toward Cranston. At this point, Lipka pulled the Jeep over, according to the officer’s report.

Lipka spoke with the driver, identifying her as Jessica Gallagher, 35, of 16 Spruce Tree Lane, Norton, MA, according to the report. Lipka could smell a strong odor of alcohol on the woman’s breath, he reported. Gallagher told him she’d had two drinks and was headed home in Attleboro. As they spoke, Lipka noted her eyes were bloodshot and watery, and she appeared unsteady on her feet as she stood after getting out of her car.

Lipka invited Gallagher to a series of sobriety tests, during which she exhibited a lack of smooth pursuit in her vision, could not balance safely during a walk and turn test and could also not balance safely one foot during a one-leg stand test.

Following Gallagher’s performance, he arrested her on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. He transported her to Warwick Police Headquarters. Once there, she refused to take a breath test. During her time at the building, Gallagher told Lipka he was trying to fill his quota.

Lipka charged Gallagher with DUI first offense, first offense, and cited her with lane violations and with refusing the breath test.