Latest news with #EnriqueSanchez
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State prosecutors dismiss DUI charge against R.I. lawmaker
State Rep. Enrique Sanchez, shown during budget debates at the Rhode Island State House in 2024. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current) The criminal case against a state lawmaker accused of driving under the influence in Cranston early February has been dropped. State prosecutors filed the dismissal in Providence County Superior Court Monday against Rep. Enrqiue Sanchez, a Providence Democrat, as a result of a recent guilty plea before the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal over refusing a breathalyzer test. 'As is common with first offense DUI cases, since the defendant admitted to the civil charge of refusing to submit to a chemical test at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal, the state dismissed the criminal charge,' Timothy Rondeau, spokesperson for the Rhode Island Office of Attorney General, said in an emailed statement Tuesday. The filing from the AG's office, which took over prosecutorial duties in late February, also stated the prosecutors were unable to meet its burden at trial on driving under the influence 'due to factual and legal issues.' Sanchez, 28, was scheduled to appear in Providence County Superior Court Friday morning for a pre-trial conference, which has since been canceled. Neither Sanchez nor his attorney, former Rhode Island House Speaker John Harwood, immediately responded to requests for comment Tuesday. The second-term lawmaker was arrested by Cranston Police on Feb. 3 after an officer spotted him behind the wheel of a 2017 Nissan Altima stopped at a green light on Reservoir Avenue at 3 a.m. Officers noticed a 'strong odor of alcohol' coming from Sanchez, who allegedly had 'bloodshot watery eyes,' according to his arrest report. Sanchez declined to take a field sobriety test and later refused a breathalyzer test. He 'admitted that he did drink,' according to his arrest report. He was arraigned in Kent County District Court and released on $1,000 personal recognizance. He was charged in traffic court with civil citations of refusing a chemical test and failure to obey traffic control devices, to which he initially pleaded not guilty. Sanchez's driver's license was temporarily suspended by the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal, but he was allowed to travel to and from work under a conditional hardship license. Sanchez changed his plea March 28, and a judge ordered him to receive alcohol treatment and complete 10 hours of community service. The lawmaker must also use an Ignition Interlock System, a breathalyzer needed to start his car, for six months. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State dismisses DUI charge against Rep. Enrique Sanchez
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — State prosecutors have dismissed a misdemeanor criminal charge of driving under the influence against state Rep. Enrique Sanchez, court records show. The dismissal of the charge was first reported by The Boston Globe. The dismissal comes days after the lawmaker pleaded guilty to a traffic violation related to the drunk-driving case at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal. Sanchez, 28, pleaded guilty to refusing a breathalyzer test on Friday in exchange for prosecutors dropping one count of failing to obey traffic control devices. 'As is common with first offense DUI cases, since the defendant admitted to the civil charge of refusing to submit to a chemical test at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal, the state dismissed the criminal charge,' Timothy Rondeau, a spokesperson for R.I. Attorney General Peter Neronha's office, said in an email to Target 12. The dismissal filed on Monday in Superior Court states that in addition to the plea in traffic court, the state was 'unable to meet its burden at trial,' citing 'factual and legal issues.' Sanchez did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. His attorney, John Harwood, told Target 12: 'He wanted to put it behind him, move forward, and focus on representing the people from his district to the best of his ability.' The Providence Democrat was arrested last month and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in Cranston. The officer who made the arrest in February said Sanchez was disoriented and smelled of alcohol. Body-worn camera footage showed Sanchez initially denied he'd been drinking, but later admitting to having some alcohol after the officer told him he smelled like booze. A few weeks after Sanchez's arrest, the case was transferred to Providence Superior Court, where he had been awaiting a formal arraignment. Sanchez was scheduled for a pre-trial conference hearing on Thursday, but that was cancelled in light of the latest developments. On Friday, court records showed that Cranston Magistrate Mark Welch ordered Sanchez's license suspended for 30 days, but it's retroactive to his arrest date, meaning it was actually reinstated. He had held a conditional license since his initial hearing, which allowed him to drive to work and the State House. Sanchez was also ordered to undergo alcohol treatment, perform 10 hours of community service, and keep an ignition interlock system for another six months pay more than $900 in court fees, according to court records. Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DUI charges against Rep. Enrique Sanchez dropped after guilty plea. What to know.
PROVIDENCE – The state has dismissed a driving-under-the- influence charge against state Rep. Enrique Sanchez just days after the second-term Providence lawmaker pleaded guilty to refusing to take a breathalyzer test. Court records indicate that state prosecutors dismissed the DUI charge Monday. On Friday, Sanchez pleaded guilty to refusing to take a breathalyzer test after being stopped for suspected drunken driving early Feb. 3 in Cranston. Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal Magistrate William T. Noonan ordered the 28-year-old Democrat to undergo alcohol treatment and perform 10 hours of community service, court records indicate. He must keep the interlock system on his car for six months. He was due to appear before Superior Court Magistrate Patrick Burke Friday on the DUI charge, but the matter has now been closed. Often people charged with driving under the influence agree to plead to refusal – a civil charge – in the traffic tribunal and a DUI count is dismissed. A spokesman for the attorney general's office could not be reached immediately for comment Tuesday, but previously told The Journal that the state assumed prosecution of the case when it was transferred to Superior Court. According to the Cranston police report, an officer spotted Sanchez around 2:59 a.m. when the Nissan he was driving stopped at a red light at Reservoir Avenue and failed to move when the signal turned green. An officer approached the car and reported that Sanchez appeared 'confused." The officer wrote in the report that Sanchez "tried to hand me a red debit card" when asked for identification. Authorities said Sanchez told the officer he was coming from a friend's house in Central Falls and was on his way home to Providence. The officer told him he was going the wrong way and asked if he knew where he was. He said he missed the highway. After arriving at the police station, the report says, "he freely admitted that he takes medication, and it affects his mental health and his driving. He also admitted that he did drink and circled back to taking medications again." Sanchez broke his silence on his arrest on X a week after his arrest, but did not apologize for his actions. He reaffirmed his commitment to "representing the people who placed their trust in me to be their voice when they elected me." This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Enrique Sanchez's criminal DUI charge dropped. Here's why.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State rep pleads guilty to refusing breathalyzer during February DUI arrest
Rep. Enrique Sanchez, a Providence Democrat, is shown during a vehicle stop in Cranston early Monday. (Still from Cranston police body camera courtesy of Cranston Police Department) A state lawmaker accused of driving while intoxicated in Cranston in February can keep his license, but must use a breath alcohol ignition device for six months after pleading guilty to a traffic court citation. State Rep. Enrique Sanchez, a Providence Democrat, pleaded guilty Friday before the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal to refusing to take a breathalyzer test in exchange for prosecutors dropping a citation for failing to obey traffic control devices. He had pleaded not guilty to the citations during his initial appearance Feb. 19. Sanchez, 28, must complete 10 hours of community service, undergo alcohol treatment, and use a breathalyzer-activated ignition device for six months, according to an order from Traffic Tribunal Magistrate Mark Welch. Welch had also ordered Sanchez's license suspended 30 days, but the ruling was retroactive to Feb. 19 — meaning it's since been reinstated. Sanchez still faces a misdemeanor DUI charge in Providence County Superior Court, where a pre-trial conference is scheduled for Friday, April 4. The second-term lawmaker deferred inquiries Monday to his attorney, former Rhode Island House Speaker John Harwood, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has reserved comment on Sanchez's Traffic Tribunal plea as the criminal case continues. Sanchez was arrested by Cranston Police on Feb. 3 after an officer spotted him behind the wheel of a 2017 Nissan Altima stopped at a green light on Reservoir Avenue at 3 a.m. The arresting officer claimed Sanchez was disoriented and smelled of alcohol, which Sanchez has denied. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep. Sanchez pleads guilty to traffic violation related to drunk driving case
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — A Rhode Island lawmaker accused of drunk driving pleaded guilty Friday to a traffic violation related to his drunk driving case, records show. State Rep. Enrique Sanchez, a Providence Democrat, was arrested last month and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in Cranston. His case was transferred to Providence Superior Court, where he has yet to be formally arraigned. Separately, Sanchez was also cited for refusing to take a breathalyzer, which was the focus of Friday's hearing at the R.I. Traffic Tribunal. Sanchez pleaded guilty to one count of refusing to submit to a chemical test in exchange for prosecutors dropping one count of failing to obey to traffic control devices. Court records show Cranston Magistrate Mark Welch ordered Sanchez's license suspended for 30 days. It was not immediately clear if his license was suspended for 30 days retroactive to the date of the incident, or for another 30 days on Friday. When reached by phone on Friday, Sanchez deferred comment to his attorney, John Harwood. Target 12 reached out to Harwood for comment but did not immediately hear back. Sanchez must also undergo alcohol treatment, perform 10 hours of community service, and keep an ignition interlock system for another six months, according to court records. He also has more than $900 in court fees. The interlock devices — also known as car breathalyzers — are designed to prevent a driver from operating their vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The devices require a driver's breath sample before the engine starts. If it detects alcohol, the engine won't start. The officer who arrested Sanchez in February said the lawmaker was disoriented and smelled of alcohol. Body-worn camera footage shows Sanchez initially denied he'd been drinking, but later admitted to having some after the officer told him he smelled like booze. Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
