RI’s DUI Problem - Ten State Police Arrests in Two Days

RI’s DUI Problem - Ten State Police Arrests in Two Days

In the past two days, the Rhode Island State Police have made ten arrests for driving under the influence.

One arrest was on Saturday at 12:40 AM, when the State Police responded to calls of a crash involving two vehicles on South County Trail in Exeter.

According to the State Police, their investigation found that a Chevy Equinox, traveling north on South County Trail, was attempting to make a left turn onto Pine View Lane when it was struck by a Toyota Camry, operated by Ryan Iovino, age 33, of Charlestown, Rhode Island.

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Witnesses on scene reported that Iovino, traveling southbound, was operating recklessly and traveling at a high rate of speed prior to the crash.

The State Police said that "Iovino displayed obvious signs of intoxication on scene" and was subsequently charged with: 1. Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor and/or Drugs, First Offense - .15 or greater (.186, .177), 2. Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor and/or Drugs Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury - First Offense.

As a result of the collision, the front seat passenger of the Equinox sustained serious injuries and was transported to Rhode Island Hospital by Exeter Fire and Rescue. The operator of the Equinox and Iovino were not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

The State Police reported eight other arrests overnight for DUI.

 

Thursday Night Wrong Way DUI

An arrest was made in the accident that shut down I-95 on Thursday night, the State Police announced on Friday.

At approximately 10:00 PM, members of the State Police responded to E911 calls for a wrong-way driver traveling south in the northbound lanes of Route 95 in Pawtucket. 

The vehicle was reported as a white SUV. As Troopers responded to the area, they located a three-car accident at the Barbara Leonard Way overpass in Providence. One of the vehicles was the white SUV.

Upon investigation, Troopers determined that the white SUV was traveling south in the high-speed lane of Route 95 North when just south of Branch Avenue, the white SUV struck a vehicle head-on, continued, and then struck a second vehicle. 

Providence Fire and Rescue transported the operator of the white SUV, identified as Matthew E. Fisher, age 39, of 22 Frenier Ave, Attleboro, Massachusetts, and the operator and passenger of the vehicle that was hit head-on to Rhode Island Hospital. 

Fisher has been charged with 1.) Driving Under the Influence of Liquor – Serious Injury (Blood Results Pending), 2.) Reckless Driving, 3.) Driving to Endanger – Resulting in Serious Injury. Fisher was held at Rhode Island Hospital and summoned to appear at 6th District Court on April 11, 2024.

 

Patriot Super Bowl Hero

As GoLocal first reported, that former New England Patriot Malcolm Butler was arrested on DUI charges in Rhode Island. GoLocal broke that story on Tuesday.

According to court documents, charges were filed on March 21, 2024, in the 3rd Division District Court.

The offense date allegedly occurred on March 16, 2024.

The North Providence Police Department was the arresting agency.

Butler, who is being represented by former Rhode Island House Speaker John Harwood, was arraigned on March 28.

Butler pled not guilty on Thursday.