Alleged Drunk Driver Runs Truck Over Top of Guardrail

A Portsmouth man has been charged with drunk driving after he allegedly drove his truck into and partially over a guardrail in Tiverton.

Michael Bettencourt, 39, of 451 Park Ave., Portsmouth, was arrested by at 12:12 a.m. Monday, Oct. 3, at the intersection of Brayton and King roads. He was charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol (first offense).

Lt. Patrick Jones said officers responded to the intersection for reports of a motor vehicle accident. Upon arrival, officers saw a utility pick-up truck off the road in the northbound lane of travel. Lt. Jones said as the responding officer got closer he saw a man in the driver's side window.

"The passenger side wheel was completely off the ground and over the top of the guardrail," Jones said. "The rear passenger tire was spinning rapidly as the operator attempted to dislodge from the guardrail."

Lt. Jones said the officer asked the operator, later identified as Bettencourt, to stop accelerating. When the driver stepped out of the vehicle, the officer reportedly noticed he was stumbling.

"The operator alleged a deer ran out in front of him, swerved to avoid it and hit the guardrail," he said.

After indications that Bettencourt could be under the influence, the officer asked him to take a field sobriety test. Bettencourt complied and reportedly failed the test. He was taken into custody and once back at the station, Jones said he refused to submit to a chemical test.

Traffic stop leads to 3 arrests

Tiverton officers stopped a vehicle with no plate lights on Main Road near John Street at about 9:58 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. Upon further investigation, the driver and two passengers received various charges.

Passenger Guilherme Pimental, 20, of Columbia Street, second floor, Fall River, was arrested at 11:12 p.m. Sunday and charged with possession of marijuana (first offense).

A 17-year-old male passenger, of Westport, MA, was taken into custody after the officer discovered he was listed as a missing person. He was later turned over to the Massachusetts Department of Social Services.

The driver, Mark Amaral, 32, of 210 Mulberry St., Fall River, was charged with operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver's license.

Jones said Amaral only provided the officer with an identification card and did not produce a valid license when asked. When the officer asked Pimental, seated in the passenger seat, to step out of the car, he reportedly could smell marijuana emanating from his clothes. Lt. Jones said the officer saw a bag of marijuana tucked inside the passenger seat. After that, the juvenile in the back seat was quickly discovered to be a runaway from Westport, Jones added.

Fight at Tiverton High School

Two 16-year-old males, from Tiverton, were arrested on Friday morning at . Both were charged with disorderly conduct.

Lt. Jones said police responded to the high school at 9:30 a.m. at the request of the vice principal, who explained that the two male students were in the hallway fighting. Upon arrival, officers reportedly found one boy in the nurse's office with a bloody nose and the other in the main office. Lt. Jones said they were both later turned over to their parents and referred to the juvenile hearing board.