STOLEN IPOD

Officer Christopher Lo responded to 9 Belfort Ave. at 4:36 p.m. on April 17 for the report of a larceny. Lo said he met with the victim, who told him his girlfriend’s vehicle had been broken into on the previous night. He said he last observed the vehicle at 7 p.m. the day before and when he responded outside at 6:30 the next morning, he noticed his Cobra radar detector and iPod were missing from the vehicle. Lo said a report was taken to document the incident but there was no complaint at the time.

DUI

Officer John Curley was on a special traffic enforcement detail in a marked cruiser traveling westbound on East Avenue in the area of Bald Hill Rd., at approximately 1:37 a.m. on April 13, when he observed a vehicle also traveling westbound go through a traffic light at Bald Hill and East Avenue when it was red. Curley said he began following the vehicle and noticed it was traveling in the center of both east and westbound lanes of travel. He activated his overhead lights and conducted a motor vehicle stop on the West Natick bridge. As he approached the vehicle, Curley said he observed the sole occupant was a female and that the driver’s side airbag was deployed and smoke was coming from the front of the vehicle, which had heavy front-end damage.

When he got closer, Curley said he observed vomit all over the driver and when he asked if she was OK and if she had been in an accident, she said she was fine and denied being involved in an accident. While speaking with the woman, Curley said he detected the strong odor of alcohol on her breath, her eyes were severely bloodshot and watery, and her speech was mumbled. Curly said he called for assistance at that time; then asked the woman if she had consumed any alcoholic beverages that evening, to which she said she had a couple and that she was having a really bad week and just wanted to go home. After assistance arrived, Curley said he had the woman exit her vehicle so he could perform field sobriety tests, and as he did so he observed her to be extremely unsteady on her feet. Curley noted that he allowed the woman to perform the tests barefoot, since she was wearing high-heels at the time and did not have any sneakers or socks available. He said the test was stopped for her safety, as he observed her fail to maintain her balance and almost fall over. Curley concluded the woman was impaired and unfit to operate a motor vehicle safely, and Tina M. Soscia, 35, of 18 Gilcrest Dr., West Warwick was secured in the rear seat of his cruiser and read her rights. Curley said he again asked Socia if she had been in an automobile accident but she continued to deny it. He said Socia told him she was coming from Jackie’s Galaxy in Johnston and was traveling 295 southbound before she got off the exit in Warwick. Curley said he had Dispatch put over the radio an intercity to any jurisdictions possibly investigating some type of hit-and-run accident, and it was indicated by state police that someone had struck a utility pole in the area of 37 west and Cranston 295 southbound, where the pole was down across the lanes of travel. Curley said a sergeant responded to the accident scene with state police, where the front license plate of Socia’s vehicle was found at the scene of the accident. Curley said he transported Socia to Warwick police headquarters, where she was read her rights, offered a confidential phone call that she declined and refused to submit to a chemical test. Socia was fingerprinted, processed and charged with refusal to submit to a chemical test, laned roadway violations and obedience to traffic control devices, with a Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal court date. She was also charged with DUI, blood alcohol content unknown, first offense, and given a District Court summons. She was later released to a sober adult. Her vehicle was towed from the scene.

ERRATIC DRIVER

Officer Manuel Pacheco, along with another officer, was dispatched to the area of Post Rd. at Rt. 37 at approximately 3:23 p.m. on April 14 for the report of a DWI in progress.

Dispatch advised that the reporting party said a brown-colored vehicle was driving erratically on Rt. 37, then came off the exit and traveled straight across Post Road, before getting stuck on the median. As he approached, Pacheco said he observed the driver, a male and the sole occupant of the vehicle, was slouched over in the driver’s seat.

After getting the driver’s attention, Pacheco said he asked the man if he was OK but he just stared blankly. Pacheco asked what he was doing and how he had gotten onto the median, to which the man said, in a mumbled, lethargic manner, he was going to West Warwick for a fire. Pacheco said he asked the man if he had taken any prescription medication, to which he said he takes Suboxone. Pacheco asked if he had taken Suboxone that day, to which the man said he had, and when asked if he had been drinking alcohol that day, he said had “a nip” approximately an hour ago.

At this time, Pacheco said Rescue arrived on scene. Pacheco said the man was unsteady on his feet and had to be escorted to the Rescue, where he was tended to and asked additional questions, during which Pacheco said he could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the man’s breath.

After agreeing to submit to field sobriety tests, the man exited the Rescue but the test was stopped for his safety after he was observed raising his arms for balance and swaying from side to side. After speaking with a sergeant about the situation, Pacheco said it was determined the man was unfit to operate a motor vehicle safely and Edward J. Musk, 44, of 22 Epworth Ave., West Warwick was transported to Kent Hospital for detox and treatment by Rescue.

While en route to the hospital, Pacheco said Musk admitted to also taking heroin, along with the Suboxone and alcohol.

Upon arrival at the hospital, nurses finished attending to Musk and he was given several opportunities to make a confidential phone call, which he declined, and refused to submit to a chemical test, saying he was “not going to take any tests.” While nurses were changing Musk from his clothes to a hospital johnny, Pacheco said three small white pills fell from the pocket of Musk’s jeans, which were collected and identified by a nurse as Vicodin pills. Pacheco said he asked Musk if he had a prescription for the pills, to which he said yes and that the prescription was given to him by Kent Hospital following a surgery a couple days ago, however after looking up Musk’s hospital history, the nurse said the pills in Musk’s pocket were a different dosage than what the hospital prescribed. When asked why the pills were not in their prescription bottle, Musk said, “I don’t know, I was high as [expletive].”

Pacheco said he took custody of the pills, which were later packaged, tagged and secured in the evidence mailbox at Warwick police headquarters to be sent for toxicology.

Musk was charged with DUI/Drugs/Alcohol, blood alcohol content unknown, first offense and driving after suspension of license, as a DMV check revealed he had a suspended driver’s license. Musk was also issued a violation for refusing to submit to a chemical test, as well as traffic violations, with a Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal court date. Pacheco said Musk was held at police headquarters on the felony charge of Possession of Schedule I - V Controlled Substance. Pacheco said it should be noted that while in custody, Warwick Police were advised by West Warwick Police that Musk is a subject of interest in an ongoing arson investigation in their town. Pacheco said West Warwick Police expressed interest in Musk’s cell phone, so it was packaged separately and released to West Warwick Police.