16 Crashes Overnight: One Wrong-Way Driver Arrested: State Police

PROVIDENCE, RI — State police were busy Friday and overnight dealing with 43 motor vehicle crashes. The incidents started at 8 a.m. yesterday. Some 35 accidents happened in the northern part of the state, including 19 during the day and 16 overnight, state police said. No serious injuries were reported as a result of the crashes, which were attributed primarily to failure to use due caution given the weather conditions. Two people were arrested.

Nathaniel Roberts, 20, of Fall River, Mass., made an illegal U-turn on I-95 South near the Thurbers Avenue curve at around 4:30 a.m. Roberts drove north in the southbound lanes before hitting a southbound vehicle near Eddy Street. The driver and a passenger went to Rhode Island Hospital. Their injuries are not life-threatening.

Roberts, who was not injured, was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor and/or drugs with a blood-alcohol content greater than .15 (Phase I: .161; Phase II: .161), state police said. He also was charged with driving so as to endanger, resulting in physical injury.

Roberts was held overnight at the State Police Lincoln Woods Barracks, pending arraignment today. He also was issued citations for one-way highways – driving the wrong way; reasonable and prudent speed – failure to maintain control of motor vehicle; and obedience to traffic control devices.

In an unrelated incident, Miguel Rosario, 23, of Pawtucket, was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor and/or drugs with a blood-alcohol content of .10 to .15 (Phase I: .126; Phase II: .123) after his car struck another car stopped in the northbound breakdown lane on I-95 in Providence near the Branch Avenue exit. That crash happened at approximately 7:45 p.m. last night.

Rosario was not injured. The other driver went to Rhode Island Hospital with minor injuries.

Miguel Rosario

Rosario also was cited for laned roadway violations and operating a motor vehicle without evidence of insurance. He was arraigned before a justice of the peace and released pending further court action.