Wrong-Way Johnston Driver Charged: Woman Recovering, Puppy Found

JOHNSTON, RI—State police this morning returned to the scene of Thursday night's crash on Interstate-295. This time, they were looking for a black puppy, which was riding in the victim's car and went missing. According to Laura Meade Kirk, state police spokeswoman, a loose dog had been spotted in the area, which is between exits 6 and 7 in Johnston and Smithfield.

The dog has been found.

Samantha Kennelly, the dog's owner, is reported in stable condition at Rhode Island Hospital. Her sister, Stacey Dyer, said she and her husband and her sister's fiancée managed to find Scarlett, the puppy, this afternoon.

"I posted on Facebook," she said and people began reporting they'd seen a dog loose in the area of the crash. They went out and stayed there all day. Scarlett was too scared to come to anyone, but she finally came to her sister's boyfriend, who's also her owner.

Kennelly's car was struck head-on by an alleged drunk driver, who was traveling the wrong way.

The accident happened north of Hartford Avenue in Johnston around 7:45 p.m. Troopers had received several calls about a wrong-way driver and a crash.

Robert Allyn Jr., 57, of Johnston, has been charged with driving under the influence of liquor and/or drugs (blood results pending) and driving so as to endanger, resulting in personal injury, state police said.

His pickup truck crossed the median and went south in the northbound high-speed lane until he collided with an oncoming car. His truck burst into flames. The crash happened north of exit 6.