Warwick, RI – Warwick Police made two arrests of drivers involved in separate crashes in early February, charging each with driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs.
On Feb. 4 at 10:57 p.m., officers responded to a call for a disabled car on Warwick Avenue, with a driver being combative with rescue personnel.
At the scene, Officer Aaron Kay discovered the car, a gray 2005 Honda Civic, mounted on a snowbank. Inside, the driver, later identified as Olga B. Downes, 52, of 651 Narragansett Parkway, Warwick, had bloodshot eyes, seemed disoriented, spoke with severely slurred speech, and had a very strong odor of alcohol on her breath, Ray reported.
Downes required help to get out of the vehicle, and then an officer helped her stand while she performed a series of field sobriety tests, which she failed.
Ray arrested Downe, transporting her to Warwick Police Headquarters, where officers determined she should be sent to Kent County Memorial Hospital due to the severity of her inebriation.
Downe was eventually charged with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, and issued a citation for refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test.
On Feb. 7 at 5:56 p.m., officer Kay was called to Apponaug Four Corners intersection for a car crash.
Kay found two vehicles on the south side of Centerville Road before the intersection with Post Road, a white 2012 Volkswagen Jetta and a white 2011 Kia Sorento stopped directly behind it.
The driver of the Jetta said he’d been traveling through Apponaug when he stopped a red light, then heard tires screech moments before the Sorento rear-ended his car. The driver said the damage to his car consisted of scratches to the bumper.
Kay took a written statement from the driver of the Sorento, Shondi Fabiano, 41, of 113 Wheeler Ave., Cranston, which appeared in part to be disorganized scribbling. Parts consisted of the words, “he stopped short several times.”
Kay asked Fabiano to perform a series of field sobriety tests, which she failed. While she passed the vision test, she shuffled and used her arms for balance during the walk and turn, then lost her balance during the one-leg stand.
Kay arrested her, transporting her to Kent County Memorial Hospital, where she refused to take a blood test. She did admit to having taken 10 tizanidine muscle relaxers as well as 50 mg of Zoloft.
Kay charged Fabiano with DUI, drugs/alcohol, blood alcohol unknown, 1st offense, and was cited for refusing the blood test, as well as for following too close in traffic.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
This is a test
