Former EG School Committee Member Charged with DUI, Disorderly Conduct

A former East Greenwich School Committee member has been charged with driving under the influence and disorderly conduct after he allegedly smashed the window of a homeless woman’s van at a local park and ride and then sped off in his Mercedes while drunk.

East Greenwich police said John ”Jack” Sommer, 46, of 90 River Farm Drive, East Greenwich, was arrested early Saturday morning after officers got a report that a man matching his description walked up to the van as the woman was sleeping inside and yelled “this is not a homeless shelter.”

Police got a call from the woman at around 2:37 a.m., according to a police report obtained by the Patch. The woman lives in her car and often frequents the Frenchtown Park and Ride, police said.

She said that a man wearing a button down shirt and glasses walked up to her car and started screaming obscenities about her being there and asked her when she was gong to leave. He then told her he was going to break the window “and then proceeded to smash her driver’s side window with a wrench or hammer,” according to the report.

Police said when they arrived, the woman was still sitting in car with glass all over her lap and shards still hanging from the top of the window.

Meanwhile, another officer searching the area stopped a black car at the intersection of Post and Frenchtown roads to check if it was the suspect. It wasn’t, but as the officer approached the vehicle, Sommer reportedly drove by in his Mercedes and was wearing a button down shirt and glasses, which matched the description given by the victim.

The person pulled over was told he was free to go and the officer got back in his patrol car to follow Sommer’s Mercedes.

Sommer then reportedly sped up as he turned north onto Post Road and then made quick turn onto onto Franklin Road without using a turn signal. He eventually stopped at the intersection of Franklin Road and Chestnut Drive, police said.

Sommer then got out of his car and “stagger[ed] into his now open drivers side door and began to approach my patrol unit,” the officer reported.

See also: Homeless Advocates “Appalled” After Attack of Homeless Woman in East Greenwich

Sommer had to be told twice to get back into his car, police said, and claimed that he was coming from work and he did not make any stops along the way.

The officer reported that Sommer smelled like alcohol and laughed when asked if he had been drinking. Sommer also had what appeared to be blood on his right pant leg and index finger. When asked why he was bleeding, Sommer reportedly did not respond.

Sommer was told to step out of his car and he responded by asking “what if I don’t want to?”

“I stated once more to turn the vehicle off and step out of the vehicle to which he stated ‘no’,” the officer reported.

Outside of his car, Sommer failed a field sobriety test and was taken into custody.

In all, Sommer was charged with driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, vandalism and refusing a chemical test. He was later released with an Aug. 14 District Court date for arraignment.

A voicemail left for Sommer seeking comment was not immediately returned.

The victim, meanwhile, was helped out of her van by police after they moved some of the glass out of her way.

She told police that she was not hurt and declined medical treatment.

The victim was brought to where Sommer had been pulled over and told police he was the person who smashed her window.

The victim also declined a ride to a homeless shelter for the night.

“She just stated that she was glad the person involved had been caught and requested that patrols keep a watch on her periodically,” a police report stated.

Police said by Monday, the victim’s minivan had been repaired. The total price for the repair was $127.80.

The Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon that said “we are appalled and deeply saddened” by the incident.

“We know his actions do not reflect the thinking of the vast majority of Rhode Islanders, who we believe find this incident as horrendous as we do,” said Jim Ryczek, executive director of the organization. “We are proud that Rhode Island, in 2012, became the first state in the country to enact a ‘Homeless Bill of Rights’ formally banning discrimination against Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness and affirming their equal access to housing, employment and public services. The passage of the Homeless Bill of Rights sends a clear and important message that all Rhode Islanders, regardless of their housing status, will be treated with dignity and respect.”

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Sommer was a former Town Council member. He was a School Committee member. We regret the error.