Everyone knows that they should never drink and drive. It is recommended that if you are going out to celebrate, to have a designated driver with you, call a taxi, or call a ride share service, rather than risking your life or that of others. However, two people who did the responsible thing and hired an Uber driver after celebrating New Year’s Eve were surprised and relieved when police pulled over their driver.
WPRI reports that 41-year-old Carlos Cordova of Tiverton, Rhode Island, made national headlines after he was pulled over after police spotted him driving erratically in and out of traffic early Saturday.
A spokesperson for the Tiverton Police Department said that the two passengers, a man, and a woman, told officers that they were grateful they had stopped Cordova.
Officers responding to the scene noted that Cordova smelled of alcohol and displayed several signs indicating that he was into9xicated at the time of the traffic stop. The officers administered a series of field sobriety tests which he failed. The officers arrested Cordova at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Cordova was transported to Tiverton Police Headquarters and refused Breathalyzer and blood tests. He was charged with his first offense of DUI with an unknown BAC, refusal to submit to a chemical test, headlamp violations, and several related roadway violations.
Cordova was later arraigned by a bail coordinator and released on a $1,000 bond. He will appear in a Newport District court on Thursday, January 6, 2022.
If convicted of the charges, Cordova will also likely lose his job. Uber prohibits anyone with a DUI conviction within the last seven years from driving for the company.
