One of Rhode Island’s top Democrats was charged with driving under the influence after he refused to submit to a blood-alcohol test, a local NBC affiliate reports.
Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio was pulled over by police and charged with a DUI Wednesday morning after a nervous local reported that a car was driving erratically.
NBC 10 in Providence explains:
According to the police report, Ruggerio said he was following a friend to a woman's house and that he was coming from a benefit in Providence. He admitted to drinking earlier in the night, according to the report.
An officer said in the report that Ruggerio failed a battery of field sobriety tests and that he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. Ruggerio refused to submit to a blood-alcohol test.
Ruggerio, 63, was arraigned by justice of the peace at the Barrington police station and released on personal recognizance. He was ordered to appear in Providence District Court on April 4.