East Greenwich DUI Driver Tells Cops he Had 7 Beers Before Crashing

EAST GREENWICH, RI—A local man is facing a charge of driving under the influence after he crashed on Division Street early Saturday morning and told officers that he had seven beers in four hours before getting behind the wheel.

Police said Scott Jeremiah Fain, 44, of 881 South Road, took out two stops signs, a street sign and a "road narrows" sign at around 2 a.m. on local roads before finally losing complete control of his car on Division Street.

According to a police report, a Brookside Drive resident called 911 to report a car driving fast up and down the road had struck a few objects. A second 911 call came in moments later reporting a single-car crash near Division Street and Howland Road.

Police came upon Fain standing outside his wrecked car, according to the report, and said that he "was having trouble with one of the tires on his vehicle because it was not the right size and caused him to swerve into the trees and grass."

The car was heavily damaged. Fain told police he was coming from a relative's house on Brookside Avenue and was heading home. Officers observed multiple signs had been struck in the area of Cedar Avenue and Division Street but Fain denied striking the signs.

Police said Fain exhibited signs of being intoxicated and when police asked if he had been drinking he said he had drank seven beers in the lat four hours. When asked if it was a good idea to be driving, he said "I probably should never be allowed to drive a car," police said.

Police found an empty beer can in the car along with a 12-pack of Corona.

Fain failed a field sobriety test at the scene and later registered a .145 blood alcohol reading in a preliminary breath test at the scene. He later refused a chemical test at police headquarters.

He was arraigned in Third Division District Court on Friday and pleaded innocent, according to court records, and is due to return to court on April 1 for a pretrial conference.

A patrolman was dispatched later on Saturday during daylight hours to document the broken signs:

A speed limit sign on Division Street that ultimatley disabled Fain's vehicle

A street sign and the stop sign at the end of Cedar Avenue.

The "road narrows" sign on Cedar Avenue near Sylvan.