Woonsocket Man Charged With Hitting Pedestrian In DUI Crash

WOONSOCKET, RI — A Woonsocket man is facing charges after drunkenly crashing into a pedestrian and seriously injuring her, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said Tuesday.

On Oct. 3, Neronha's office charged Brian Morton, 34, with DUI resulting in serious bodily injury, driving to endanger resulting in serious bodily injury, and driving a vehicle without consent of the owner or lessee.

Prosecutors said the charges stemmed from a crash in Woonsocket on July 12. Around 9:35 p.m., Woonsocket police were called to a crash on Front Street involving a pedestrian. When officers, arrived, first responders were treating the victim, a woman who was laying on her back in the street.

Prosecutors said several witnesses pointed police toward Morton, who was standing across the street, and identified him as the operator of the vehicle that struck the victim. When officers spoke with Morton, he told them he struck with the pedestrian after pulling onto Front Street, according to prosecutors. While speaking with Morton, police smelled alcohol on his breath and notice his eyes were bloodshot and glossy, prosecutors said.

Police then asked Morton to perform field sobriety tests, which he failed, so they detained him, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said officers later spoke with the owner of the vehicle Morton was driving. According to prosecutors, the car's owner told police Morton did not have permission to drive it.

Morton is scheduled for a pre-arraignment conference in Providence Superior Court on Nov. 29.

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