RI District Court and Traffic Tribunal Case Law

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City of Warwick v. James Morgan, C.A. No. T09-0103 Reasonable Grounds

Defendant appealed the decision of the trial judge sustaining the violations of R.I.G.L. 1956 § 31-27-2.1 (refusal to submit to a chemical test”) and R.I.G.L. 1956 § 31-15-11 (laned roadways). The Court held that the officer had reasonable grounds to suspect that the defendant was driving under the influence of alcohol given the totality of the officer’s observations of the defendant’s driving and physical appearance. Since the Court cannot engage in an inquiry as to the credibility of witnesses it must defer to the trial judge’s findings which stated that the officer observed the defendant cross the divider lines and swerve into the breakdown lane. Therefore, the violation was sustained.

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