Driving Under the Influence, BAC Unknown (1st Offense), in violation of R.I.G.L. § 31-27-2 Case Result – Coventry Rhode Island |

Charges

• Driving Under the Influence, BAC Unknown (1st Offense), in violation of R.I.G.L. § 31-27-2
• Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test, in violation of R.I.G.L. § 31-27-2.1

Court Information

Coventry, Rhode Island
Kent County
Kent County District Court (3rd Division)

Case Overview

A Coventry Police Officer was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident in a parking lot. The operator in question backed his truck into a parked vehicle, causing damage. He was about to leave the area after speaking to the owner of the parked car, but she called police beforehand. She also suspected that he was drunk. When police arrived, the officer detected that the man had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, slurred speedy, bloodshot and watery eyes, and was unsteady on his feet. He agreed to participate in standardized field sobriety tests and failed all three including the horizontal gaze nystagmus, the one leg stand, and the nine stop walk and turn tests. The man refused to participate in a preliminary breath test. Once back at the Coventry Police Station, the man also refused to participate in a chemical breath test. As such, he was charged criminally in Rhode Island District Court with Driving Under the Influence and civilly in the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal with Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Breath Test and multiple traffic infractions. He retained RI DUI Lawyer, John L. Calcagni III, to defend him in these matters.

Attorney Calcagni successfully persuaded prosecutors to dismiss the client’s criminal case in exchange for his acceptance of responsibility to the civil refusal charge in the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal.

Case Result

Dismissed.