DUI Charge for Driver Found Asleep at East Greenwich Intersection

EAST GREENWICH, RI—A woman who allegedly fell asleep with her foot on the brake at a stop sign Sunday night has been charged with driving under the influence.

Police said Michelle L. Bartkiewicz, 41, of Warwick, registered a blood alcohol reading of .195 at the scene and .184 and .190 after two preliminary breath tests at police headquarters at around 10 p.m.—an hour after officers first came upon her behind the wheel of her Ford minivan at the intersection of Division Street and Howland Road.

Bartkiewicz reportedly was asleep with her foot on the brake, the car in drive and her faced pressed against the glass, according to a police report. Once out of the car, she reportedly thought she was waiting for a friend at a nearby bar and couldn't recall how she ended up on Division Street.

Police said Bartkiewicz was cooperative as she failed a field sobriety test at the scene and was arrested without incident. She told police she had a few drinks earlier in the night.

She was later released with a summons to appear in Third Division District Court on July 29 for arraignment.

Police said two witnesses called police to report a woman sleeping in her car at around 9:01 p.m.

Her vehicle was towed from the scene and she was picked up by a friend at police headquarters after being booked.