RI District Court and Traffic Tribunal Case Law

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Town of Middletown v. Svetlana Semenova, Ca.A. No. T11-0049 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 roadway). Defendant claimed that the officer lacked reasonable grounds to request the defendant to submit to field sobriety tests. The Court held that the officer had reasonable grounds to request that the defendant submit to field sobriety tests because the officer observed the defendant travel at a high rate of speed and swerve into the breakdown lane, the defendant had bloodshot and watery eyes, she emitted an odor of alcohol, she admitted to the consumption of alcohol, and she had difficulty retrieving the requested documents. Accordingly, the Court sustained the violation of § 31-17-2.1.

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