Swerving Post Road Driver Arrested for DUI

WARWICK, RI — On June 16, WPD Sgt. Walter Larson was headed north on Main Street in East Greenwich toward Warwick when a  black GMC Sierra pickup he assumed was swerving to avoid potholes instead hit all the potholes, prompting a stop and DUI arrest for the driver.

Larson followed the truck as its speed fluctuated between 25 and 30 mph, while continuing to weave in the lane, failing to avoid the potholes and also failing to increase its speed past 28 mph as they passed a 35 mph speed limit sign. He signaled the truck to pull over at Chepiwanoxet Way, and it stopped past Wolverstone Road near the gas station, according to the officer’s report.

Larson approached the driver’s side of the truck and asked for his license and registration, which identified him as Michael Drew, 44, of 10B Albino Ln., Coventry. As Drew produced the documents, Larson noted he seemed slow and lethargic. He asked Drew if he had drank any alcoholic beverages, to which he replied he had drank a couple, according to the report.

Officer Keara Enos arrived to run sobriety tests with Drew. Enos described his movements to exit the truck as unsteady in her report, noting he held the driver’s door for balance, and also smelled of alcohol. When asked, Drew repeated his statement that he had drank a couple beers, according to Enos’s report.

During the tests, Drew demonstrated a lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary movement in his vision, and was unsteady on his feet and failed to follow instructions during a walk and turn test, failing to count out loud, taking his feet off-line, and stepped backwards once, according to Enos’s report. A one-leg stand test was not attempted, out of concern for Drew’s safety, according to the report.

Drew was reluctant to do a portable breath test, then failed to breathe into the device after agreeing. Enos arrested him on suspicion of DUI, alcohol, and transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he refused to take a stationary breath test.

Enos charged Drew with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, first offense (his previous such offenses were five years ago, Enos noted), and cited him for refusing the breath test, for failing to control his vehicle, for lane violations, and unlawful installation of a sunscreen.

He was released to the custody of a sober adult.