Warwick Vets Principal Goss Arrested for DUI

WARWICK, RI — A St. Patrick’s Day Tiverton crash resulted with Warwick Vets Principal Jeffrey Goss arrested or DUI and reckless driving, according to Tiverton Police.

The arrest was first reported by John DePetro on his website Wednesday afternoon. Warwick Schools Superintendent Lyn Dambruch released a brief statement about the arrest Thursday.

“We are aware of a non-school related incident involving one of our building administrators and are actively investigating the situation. Due to the fact that this is a personnel matter, we cannot comment further at this time,” Dambruch wrote.

A message sent to Goss asking his comment on the arrest was also not immediately returned.

Goss is working his first year as principal of Warwick Veterans Middle School. He was hired in August 2023 and started working at the school when classes opened in September, as reported by WarwickPost.com.

According to the Tiverton Police report, Officer Shaun Wilson responded to Rte. 24 South just past Fish Rd, for the report of a crash with injuries. Wilson found a black GMC, driven by Goss, stopped horizontally across the road.

Goss, standing outside his vehicle, told Wilson the driver of the other vehicle, which was half off the road with its airbags deployed. That driver was still in the driver’s seat, but was able to move to the passenger’s seat to speak with Wilson.

The driver said he had seen Goss’s GMC swerving in and out of lanes, and also bouncing off the guard rail before T-boning his Honda. Goss’s vehicle had severe damage to the front and driver’s side door, and its airbags had also deployed. Debris from the vehicle were strewn across the road. Both vehicles were towed from the scene, Wilson reported.

During sobriety tests, Goss showed clues of intoxication during a vision test, swayed, stepped off-line and took the wrong number of steps during a walk and turn test and swayed, jumped, and put his foot down during a one-leg stand test.

Wilson determined Goss was not fit to drive, and arrested him on suspicion of DUI, then transported him to Tiverton Police headquarters, 20 Industrial Way, Tiverton, RI. At headquarters, Goss refused to submit to a chemical test of his blood alcohol level. He told officers he had had 6 Bud Lights at Dublin Rose in Seekonk, MA.

Wilson charged Goss with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, first offense, and with reckless driving, and cited for refusing the test, and lane violations.

Goss was scheduled for a March 21 court hearing on the charges in Newport District Court. He pled not guilty and was scheduled for a pre-trial screening on the charges on April 4.