Man Charged for Drinking Beer as Car Passenger

A 21-year-old North Kingstown man is facing a public drinking charge after Newport police found an open beer on the floor of a car he was riding in early Monday morning.

Police said the car was stopped at around 1:12 a.m. on Memorial Boulevard for rear license plate light that wasn’t working.

Police said the inside of the car smelled like marijuana and the driver, who police noted “has access to firearms,” did not appear to be under the influence and consented to a search of the car.

Police did not find any marijuana, but they did find an open half-empty can of Natural Light on the floor of the front passenger side of the car.

The passenger, identified as Jonathan H. Leach, of 827 Fletcher Road, allegedly admitted to drinking the beer while in the car.

Police dumped out the beer and issued Leach a summons to appear in Newport Municipal Court on Nov. 16.

Leach, the driver and another passenger otherwise checked out OK and were sent on their way, police said.