Crime & Safety

MPD Make Two DUI Arrests With One Stop

The following arrests were reported by the Middletown Police Department. An arrest does not indicate a conviction.

Middletown Police made a two-for-one DUI arrest early Friday morning when they pulled over two drivers with one stop. 

At around 1:30 a.m., police pulled over Thomas Betts, 59, of 28 Greenfield Ave., Portsmouth on West Main Road because he was swerving across the road and neither his tail lights nor plate light were illuminated, said police.

Police said he smelled of alcohol and there was a six pack of beer on the floor. He told police he had been at the Newport Elks Club earlier that evening and had a couple of beers.   Betts failed the field sobriety test and was placed under arrest.

As police waited for the tow company to pick up Bett’s car, a caller notified police that a dark colored Jeep was traveling north on West Main Road and was swerving across the road without his headlights on.

The officer was out of his cruiser, so activated the strobe and signaled the operator to stop.  The Jeep slowed down, nearly stopped, crossed the yellow dividing line, but then drove around the officer, said police.

The officer activated the cruiser siren, and the Jeep eventually stopped by the Middletown Baptist Church, after driving on the curb, said police.  

Police told the driver, 33-year-old Christopher O’Brien of Wakefield, to put the Jeep in park and turn off the ignition.   He put the transmission in reverse and shut the vehicle off, said police.

When asked for his license, he allegedly handed police his bank card.  When police asked for his license again, he handed over his wallet.   Police said a Narragansett beer can was in the cup holder.

He failed the field sobriety tests and was also placed under arrest.

At the station, O’Brien registered a blood alcohol content (BAC) .171 and .168. Betts registered a BAC of .15 and .154.

Betts was charged with a first offense driving under the influence with a BAC of .15 or greater and was cited for his tail light.  O’Brien was charged with a driving under the influence with a BAC of .15 or greater, operating left of the center, failure to obey police officer and a laned roadway violation.  


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