Fall River Man with Needle Hanging from Arm Charged with DUI in Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH, RI—A 26-year-old Fall River man was arrested by Portsmouth police on Tuesday after he rolled to a stop in a CVS parking lot, slumped over the center console, with a needle hanging out of his arm.

Police charged Eric Rocha, of 686 Hicks St., with driving under the influence and possession of heroin after officers found 128 packets of the drug in his front pocket.

Portsmouth Police Major Brian P. Peters said in a news release that officers got a call at around 11 a.m. reporting an erratic driver on Turnpike Avenue.

An officer spotted the suspect vehicle and followed it as it eventually pulled into the CVS parking lot and came to a stop.

The officer approached the car and saw Rocha slumped over the center console with a hypodermic needle sticking out of his forearm, Peters said. The car was still in drive and Rocha's foot was on the brake pedal.

The officer reached through the window, put the car into park and tried to wake up Rocha, who eventually opened his eyes and removed the needle from his arm.

Rocha was unable to complete a field sobriety test "due to his condition," Peters said, and he was taken into custody without incident.

Rocha is due to be arraigned today on the DUI and possession charge.