Crime & Safety
Man Gets DUI After Crashing into Westport Police Car
The officer could smell alcohol emanating from the driver's breath and noticed he had slurred speech after he spoke with him, police said.
The driver was taken into custody after he struck the rear end of a police cruiser that was stopped at the intersection of Post Road East and Sherwood Island Connector early Saturday morning, according to an arrest report.
"The officer smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath and he was barely able to speak clearly, slurring his responses and swaying on his feet," the report stated.
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The driver failed the field sobriety test and was taken into custody. He refused to take the breath test, according to the police report.
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Westport police charged 38-year-old Richard Lanza, of Waterbury, with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, failure to drive in the proper lane and following too closely, police said.
Lanza posted a $1,000 surety bond and was released. He is due in Norwalk Superior Court January 31.
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