RI Police Patrols Partner With MADD To Honor Victims Of DUI Crashes

CRANSTON, RI — Police departments across Rhode Island worked with Mothers Against Drunk Driving-Rhode Island (MADD-RI) again this past holiday season to honor victims who died or suffered serious injuries in crashes involving intoxicated drivers.

The campaign ran from Dec. 14 through Jan. 1 in association with the 2022 holiday season Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over National Enforcement Mobilization.

For the campaign, MADD-RI provided local police with information about a victim of impaired driving. The agency's driving under the influence enforcement detail then dedicated themselves to that particular victim, and the victim's family was notified that the patrol was done in honor of their loved one. Honor patrols are meant to help raise awareness of how impaired driving affects families forever.

"We are honored to work with MADD-RI once again this year to help raise awareness of the lives lost to impaired driving and the long-lasting impact these crashes have on our communities," said Sidney Wordell, the executive director of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association (RIPCA). "Impaired driving crashes are 100% preventable, and it's important to raise awareness of how such actions affect families forever."

A spokesperson for RIPCA said participating police agencies arrested 23 drivers over the course of the Honor Patrol campaign.

The police agencies, victims they honored, and date they participated in the campaign include:

• Bristol Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Samantha Kennelly.
• Central Falls Police Department Honor Patrols dedicated to Amber Pelletier on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31
• Cranston Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to John Souza on Dec. 31
• Cumberland Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Ryan Bourque on Dec. 31
• East Greenwich Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Marsha Bowman on Dec. 30
• Hopkinton Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Karen Dudley on Dec. 31
• Jamestown Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Marsha Bowman on Dec. 16

• Lincoln Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Samantha Kennelly on Dec. 30
• Middletown Police Department Honor Patrols dedicated to Frank Perry Jr. on Dec. 30 and Emma Brown on Dec. 31
• North Kingstown Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Patty Daniels on Dec. 31
• Pawtucket Police Department Honor Patrols dedicated to Doris Doire on Dec. 16 and Thomas Kenney on Dec. 17
• Portsmouth Police Department Honor Patrols dedicated to Elizabeth Durante on Dec. 17 and Tori Lynn Andreozzi on Dec. 30
• Providence Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Evelyn Pagliaro on Dec. 30
• Rhode Island State Police Honor Patrol dedicated to Lt. Robert Cabral from Dec. 12-31
• South Kingstown Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Lorenzo Smith on Dec. 31
• Tiverton Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Tori Lynn Andreozzi over the New Year's holiday weekend
• Warren Police Department Honor Patrol dedicated to Tommy Gomes on Dec. 30
• Warwick Police Department Honor Patrols dedicated to Anthony Gemma on Dec. 16 and Michaela Lynch on Dec. 17
• West Warwick Police Department Honor Patrols dedicated to Tori Lynn Andreozzi and Matthew Dennison on Dec. 30.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 209 people across the United States were killed in impaired driving crashes during the New Year’s and Christmas holiday periods in 2020.