A 51-year-old Charlestown man is facing felony assault and DUI charges after police said he drove recklessly through a Hopkinton construction zone, knocked over traffic cones and swerved toward an officer who was trying to signal him to slow down. Jay Grindle was taken into custody shortly afterward and is being held pending an arraignment, according to police.
Police said Grindle operated his vehicle recklessly within the construction area, where officers were working, and swerved toward one of them after they signaled for him to slow down, according to WJAR. The Hopkinton Police Department said the move forced the officer to take evasive action to avoid being struck. As the vehicle passed through the work zone, officers recorded its license plate, description and direction of travel.
Police said Grindle's driving nearly struck multiple officers working at the scene, and as reported by WPRI, he knocked over several traffic cones while driving recklessly through the construction zone. Officers used the information they gathered to track down the vehicle a short time later.
Vehicle Located in Main Street Parking Lot
Grindle was taken into custody after another officer spotted his car in a parking lot on Main Street, the station reported. The seed reporting from WJAR places the vehicle more specifically in a business parking lot at 229 Main St. in Hopkinton, though the two accounts describe the same general location.
Once in custody, Grindle submitted to a chemical test, the same account notes. The test showed his blood-alcohol level was greater than .15, which exceeds Rhode Island's standard legal threshold under the state's DUI statute found in Title 31 of Rhode Island's motor vehicle laws.
Felony Assault and DUI Charges Filed
Grindle was charged with felony assault with a dangerous weapon and driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol concentration of .15 or greater, per WPRI's report.
Under Rhode Island Judiciary procedures, arraignments often take place at the police department when District Court is not in session, including evenings, weekends and holidays, with a formal District Court arraignment required afterward. Case records, once filed, would be accessible through the Rhode Island Judiciary's online portal.
No additional details about bail, release conditions or a next court date have been reported, and there has been no statement yet from Grindle or a defense representative.
