WPD: Roundabout Stop Yields DUI Charge

WARWICK, RI — At about 1 a.m. March 18, Officer Aylssa Comeau spotted a swerving blue Subaru Outback near Brand Avenue on Post Road headed toward Apponaug, stopped and arrested the driver on a DUI charge.

Comeau saw the Outback swerve over the white fog line and back toward the double yellow line in the road multiple times as the car approached the roundabout near Dunkin Donuts. Comeau pulled the car over in the area of the roundabout, according to the officer’s report.

The officer identified the passenger and driver, Lorien Baker, 38, of 83 Mohawk Trail, West Greenwich. As they spoke, Comeau could smell an odor of alcohol on her breath.

When asked where they were coming from, Baker’s passenger answered, “The Trap,” according to the report. Comeau noted that Baker seemed unconcerned with answering her questions, leaving her passenger to respond.

When asked if she had had alcohol that night, Baker responded, saying she had two drinks. Comeau reported her eyes were watery and her speech seemed “thick-tongued,” according to the report.

Comeau asked Baker to step out of the car for sobriety tests, and she complied after a delay during which she appeared to be ignoring Comeau’s requests, according to the officer’s report.

During the tests, Baker demonstrated a lack of smooth pursuit and involuntary movement in her vision, was unable to walk heel-to-toe as instructed, putting 2-3 inches between each step, and put her foot down multiple times during a one-leg stand.

Comeau arrested Baker on suspicion of DUI, and transported her to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where she refused to submit to a breath test of her blood alcohol level.

Baker’s Outback was towed from the roundabout by Ronnie’s Towing.

Comeau charged Baker with DUI, blood alcohol unknown, first offense, and cited for reusing the test. Baker was unable to contact a sober adult to drive her home, so Comeau transported her to Kent County Hospital or detox at 4:25 a.m.