UPDATE 7 p.m., Sept. 12: Warwick Police have identified the driver arrested and charged in Saturday’s one-car crash and the passenger injured as a result.
Warwick Police identified Filipe Barros, 33, of Pawtucket, as the driver and Yasmibel Lora Pena, 27, of Cranston, as the back-seat passenger ejected from the car during the crash.
Pena was transported to Rhode Island Hospital and is still being treated for serious injuries. Barros and the front-seat passenger were uninjured.
Police also updated charges against Barros to include:
1. Driving so as to endanger- resulting in serious personal injury (felony)
2. Driving under the influence of liquor or drugs – resulting in serious bodily injury (felony)
3. DUI of Liquor-BAC Unknown-1st Offense (misdemeanor)
4. Refusal to Submit to Chemical Test- 1st Offense (violation)
Alcohol and seat belt use were contributing factors in this crash, police reported.
Anyone who was a witness to the crash is encouraged to contact the Traffic Unit at 401-468-4200.
ORIGINAL STORY:
WARWICK, RI — Warwick Police are asking for help investigating a Warwick Avenue crash that shut down the street from Sandy Lane to Church Avenue Saturday at 7:46 a.m., resulting in the driver’s arrest and a seriously injured passenger.
At that time, officers responded to the intersection of Warwick Avenue and Killey Avenue for a single car crash that ejected a passenger from the vehicle, police report.
At the scene, officers learned the driver was headed north on Warwick Avenue in the left travel lane when his car abruptly swerved and struck a utility pole. The rear female passenger was ejected from the vehicle, sustaining serious injuries. The passenger was transported to Rhode Island Hospital and is in serious condition, according to police.
The Warwick Police Accident Reconstruction team responded to the scene and is investigating. Warwick Avenue was reopened at about 10:45 a.m. Saturday.
Based on the initial investigation, the driver was arrested and charged with Driving so as to endanger, resulting in serious personal injury; Driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, resulting in serious bodily injury and Refusal to submit to chemical test. The operator will be held pending a bail hearing.
Police have not yet released the name of either the driver or passenger, nor any details regarding their ages or relation to each other.
Anyone who was a witness to the crash is encouraged to contact the Traffic Unit at 401-468-4200.
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.
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