FENTANYL OVERDOSE

The Warwick Police Department is issuing a public safety warning following the tragic death of a 27- year-old woman who unknowingly consumed marijuana laced with fentanyl.

The victim was found unresponsive in Warwick after using marijuana that was not purchased from a licensed dispensary. Despite lifesaving efforts, she was pronounced dead.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the marijuana was contaminated with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that can be lethal even in small amounts. The Warwick Police Department is actively investigating the source of the substance and urges the public to exercise extreme caution when purchasing or using marijuana from unregulated sources.

DUI

On March 1 at 1:05 a.m., a Warwick police officer noticed a car pulling out of Grid Iron Ale House, nearly colliding with his car before reportedly narrowly avoiding another crash. Following this, the officer executed a traffic stop.

The driver, 31-year-old Ali El-Laham of Cranston, told the officer that he had had two drinks and was driving home. He reportedly would later revise that number to “3-4 shots.”

El-Laham told the officer multiple times that he refused to take a field sobriety test, and said that he felt good to drive. When officers attempted to handcuff him on suspicion of DUI, El-Laham pulled his hand away, asking ‘What about the breath test?” El-Laham reportedly refused to take the breath test. He was reportedly confrontational following his arrest, telling officers they were “gonna get f***ed” and screaming while in the police car on the way to the station.

El-Laham was arrested and charged with DUI.

DUI

On March 1 at 2:47 a.m., a WPD officer responded to the intersection of Quaker Lane and Major Potter Road for a report of a car parked in the left lane. When arriving at the scene, the officer noticed a woman slumped over the steering wheel of the car, with her foot on the brake preventing it from moving.

The driver, 31-year-old Courtney Milton of West Warwick, reportedly took a while to regain consciousness. When she did, the officer asked her to put her car in park, which she did not comprehend. After multiple attempts, and Milton removing her foot from the brake pedal, causing the car to begin traveling, the officer was eventually able to put the car in park and turn off the ignition.

Milton reportedly smelled strongly of alcohol, and told the officer that she had consumed 15 drinks that night. She refused to take a field sobriety test, and would later refuse to take a breath test as well.

Milton was arrested and charged with DUI.

DUI

On March 3 at 2:29 a.m., a WPD officer on patrol was approached by a driver, who told him that another driver had been driving erratically. After finding that car and witnessing erratic driving, the officer executed a traffic stop.

The driver of the erratic car, 30-year-old Edgar Jorge of Providence, told officers that he was returning from a Smithfield bar, and had just dropped off his drunk friend. Jorge was reportedly confused as to how he got to Warwick, and told officers that he had consumed two beers. In addition to the beers, the officer noted a bong secured with a seatbelt in the car’s passenger seat, and the smell of both alcohol and marijuana.

Jorge consented to a field sobriety test, which he failed, leading to his arrest for DUI. While riding back to the station, Jorge reportedly told officers that he had driven drunk before, though he had never been caught, and thanked officers for arresting him, saying he didn’t know what would have happened if he had kept driving home. While at the station, Jorge was tested as having a blood alcohol content of .102.

DRIVING WITHOUT LICENSE

On March 6 at 1:20 a.m., a WPD officer noticed a car moving onto Route 37 erratically, accelerating very quickly to get onto the highway. The officer conducted a routine traffic stop.

The driver, 40-year-old Gary Hurst of Woonsocket, told the officer that he had been returning from work. A search of his license revealed that Hurst had not had a driver’s license since 2004, and he told officers that he did not have a license.

Hurst was arrested and charged with his 4^th+ offense of driving without a license.

DRIVING WITHOUT LICENSE

On March 1 at 9:51 a.m., a WPD officer noticed a car take a left turn at a red light. Following that, the officer executed a traffic stop.

The driver, 26-year-old Luigi Macaruso of West Warwick, was reportedly nervous and told officers that he did not have a license and did not want to be arrested.

Macaruso was arrested and charged with his 4^th+ offense of driving without a license.