Police Log: Crash At Commons Leads To DUI Arrest

On Saturday, November 19 around 8:40 p.m. South Kingstown Police officers were called to Tower Hill Road at the South County Commons for a report of two cars that had gotten into a collision.  Officers on scene made contact with several people involved in the collision and called for EMTs to evaluate several of them. During their investigation officers made contact with two men who had been in one of the vehicles who were hesitant to explain who was in the driver’s seat.  The vehicle’s passenger eventually told officers that he was not the one driving, and the other individual identified himself as “Jose Torres”. Soon after, “Torres” told officers his name was actually Alvaro Patzan, 31, of 689 Succotash Road, and he was in the country illegally from Guatemala. 

Patzan agreed to take a series of field sobriety tests, which he could not complete to the satisfaction of the officer.  He was taken into custody, where his alleged lack of cooperation in using a chemical test led officers to charge him with refusal to submit to a breath test.  He was also charged with operating with out a license.  SKPD officers also contacted ICE agents, who requested Patzan be transported to the ACI.

Arrests and Citations

Ryan J. Smith, 18, of 13 Kingston Hill Court in South Kingstown was arrested for possession of marijuana, first offense, after a traffic stop on Main Street on Friday, November 18 around 11:00 p.m. An officer traveling in the area noticed Smith’s vehicle traveling without any headlights on and performed a traffic stop.  When the officer made contact with Smith he stated that he detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Smith admitted during questioning that there was half of a marijuana “blunt” in the glove compartment.  The officers searched the vehicle, finding the blunt as well as a small package of suspected marijuana and a pipe that one of Smith’s three passengers, a 17-year-old South Kingstown male, admitted was his. Ryan and the juvenile male were taken to SKPD and processed. Ryan was later released with a Fourth District Court summons for December 8, and the minor was released with a pending Juvenile Court date. 

Ezra A. Baer, 30, of 188 High St. in South Kingstown was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Sunday, November 20 around 1:35 p.m. after a traffic stop on High Street.  He was taken to SKPD, processed, and later released with a Fourth District Court summons for December 8.

Daniel J. Dyer, 22, of 1407 Pinewood Dr. in Smithfield was arrested on Monday, November 21 around midnight for an active bench warrant issued by Fourth District Court for failure to appear after a traffic stop on Woodruff Avenue.  Dyer was taken into custody and secured for the night.

 Incidents

On Friday, November 18 around 6:30 p.m. an officer was called to a Broad Rock Road residence for a report of theft from a motor vehicle.  The officer arrived on scene and met with a female complainant, who stated that two rings had apparently been taken from her unsecured vehicle while it was parked in the driveway sometime between November 6 and the present day.  The total value of the two rings is around $3,200.  The investigation remains open.

Around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 19 an officer was dispatched to an Uncle Sam’s Lane house for a report of tampering with motor vehicles.  The officer met with the complainant, who stated that his two unlocked vehicles had been disturbed overnight.  While on scene officers were notified of a similar incident that had occurred on Schaeffer Street.  Police have begun an investigation and are following up on a potential lead.

On Sunday, November 20 around 2:00 a.m. an officer was dispatched to an Orchard Avenue home for a report of a stolen motor vehicle.  The officer met with a male complainant who stated that someone had taken his truck from his driveway between the hours of 8:00 p.m. the previous night and 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning.  The complainant also stated that he had left his keys in the truck’s ignition.  The 1992 Chevrolet Silverado was entered into the criminal database as stolen.  The investigation remains open.

On Saturday, November 19 around 3:30 a.m. officers were dispatched to a Hull Street home for a report of a possible breaking and entering in progress.  The officers met with a female renter who stated she heard the basement bulkhead creaking. The officers discovered that one of the bulkhead doors had been opened, but the locked door to the basement remained intact. The investigation remains open.

On Sunday, November 20 around 9:30 p.m. an officer was dispatched to the 1800 block of Matunuck Schoolhouse Road for a report a suspicious vehicle and the sound of glass breaking.  The officers arrived on scene and spoke with a male subject who stated that when he exited his residence to investigate the glass breaking he tripped a motion sensor light and illuminated a vehicle with 2-4 occupants inside.  The car then sped out of the driveway and headed west on Matunuck Schoolhouse Road.  The officer located a sizeable fieldstone that was positioned near a broken window, and deduced that the act was one of vandalism rather than attempted breaking and entering.  Officers were able to locate a vehicle matching the description of the one offered by the caller, and questioned its driver.  At this time no charges have been filed.

Descriptions of events are based solely from police officer reports provided to Patch.