RI State Police: Move Over

PROVIDENCE, RI—State police arrested six drunk driving suspects over the weekend from Good Friday through Easter Sunday. The sixth one came when a Franklin, Mass., woman crashed into cars stopped at an accident scene on Route 146. State Police had been called around 3 a.m. Sunday to investigate a crash involving a deer on Route 146 north, just north of the Charles Street on ramp. That car stopped and was in turn rear-ended by another car.

Both cars were stopped in the right lane of traffic with a cruiser and fire engine behind them when Joannmarie Gomes, 36, came along. A State Trooper, who was in his car, spotted a motorist pull into the passing lane to avoid the firetruck and swerve into the travel lane where the other vehicles were all stopped.

The trooper drove his car off the road, to avoid being struck. Gomes's car struck the rear of one of the vehicles involved in the initial crash, then struck another car in the passing lane, before the car turned sideways and went off the road. Several rescue workers who were standing on the side of the road after the initial crash scrambled out of the way to avoid being struck.

She was arrested and charged with driving while impaired. The accident illustrated the peril police face at accident scenes, state police Col. Ann C. Assumpico said.

“This incident was particularly egregious because this suspect’s actions put the lives of several people at risk – including the victims of the earlier crash, along with state police, firefighters and others who were on the scene,” Col. Assumpico said. “This is a major concern, especially since nearly 40 percent of all police officers who died in the line of duty last year died in traffic-related incidents.”

The other arrests were:

• Daniel F. Leonard, 52, of 30 Invernia Road, Cranston, arrested around 12:50 a.m. Sunday on Route 95 South in Providence, charged with driving under the influence, second offense; refusal to submit to a chemical test, second offense; and driving after suspension of his license.

• Samir Abdelal, 27, 12 Lowell St., Lynn MA, arrested around 2:15 a.m. Sunday on Route 95 North in Providence, charged with driving under the influence, first offense, and refusal to submit to a breath test.

• Phosokthea Theul, 39, of 382 Blackstone St., Providence, arrested around 2:20 a.m. Sunday on Route 146 North in North Providence, charged with driving under the influence, first offense, and refusal to submit to a breath test.

• Nicolas Underwood, 26, of 210 Smith Hill Road, Burrillville, was arrested around 1:55 a.m. Friday on Route 95 in Warwick, for driving under the influence, first offense.

• Jamal Brito, age 23, of 53 Rochambeau Avenue, Providence, was arrested around 2:30 a.m. Friday on Route 95 in Warwick, for driving under the influence, first offense.