Tailgating Driver Arrested for DUI

WARWICK, RI — A call-in for a tailgating driver nearly striking the caller’s car led officers to arrest a Cranston woman for DUI Nov. 4, 12:17 p.m. after finding her white Toyota Scion in the lot of a West Shore Road banquet hall.

Officer Brittany Crabtree was dispatched  to the area to search for the car, reportedly crossing the double lines into oncoming traffic and nearly striking the rear of the caller’s car multiple times. The caller pulled over to let the Scion driver, a woman, pass, then followed, called WPD to report the car, then stopped following, according to Crabtree’s repot.

As Crabtree searched for then car, a retired officer reported he had also been flagged down by people reporting the erratic driver. She drove past the banquet hall at 957 West Shore Road, spotting the car, parked with a woman behind the wheel. She turned around and pulled into the lot, a man was in the car’s driver’s seat, attempting to pull out, according to the report.

Crabtree stopped the new driver and questioned the pair, who told her the man had been driving only to move the vehicle, as his license was suspended. Officer Ryan Costa arrived to assist, and the woman, Alicia Parenteau, 40, of 231 Grace St., Cranston, RI, admitted to having driven the car and to drinking earlier that day. Crabtree reported difficulty understanding her due to her slurred speech, and asked her to perform sobriety tests.

During the tests,  Parenteau demonstrated lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary movement in her vision, was unable to do a walk and turn test, nearly falling over, as she was unsteady on her feet throughout the stop.

Crabtree arrested and transported Parenteau to WPD Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where she was charged with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, first offense, and cited for refusing a breath test and lane violations.