Portsmouth, R.I : Man injured in Portsmouth crash charged with DUI on Thursday night, December 18, 2014

A man injured when the pickup truck he was driving Thursday night crashed on Middle Road is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, first-offense, and with refusal to submit to a chemical or blood test, which is a traffic violation, according to police. Richard Holiday, 27, of 17 Luther Lane in Portsmouth, was in good condition at Rhode Island Hospital Friday at noon, a hospital spokeswoman said. Police Lt. A.J. Bucci said Holiday could not be given a field-sobriety test at the accident scene because of the severity of his injuries. But the police detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, Bucci said. At the hospital, Holiday refused to take a chemical breath test or consent to a blood test, according to the police. He was charged with driving under the influence, blood-alcohol content unknown, Bucci said. The accident remains under investigation, and Bucci said he could not provide details about what happened. However, the Portsmouth Fire Department, which provided emergency help and transported Holiday to the hospital, said the man apparently lost control of the vehicle he was driving, struck a telephone pole and tree on the side of the road and then returned to the roadway and struck another vehicle. The man had to be extricated with the Jaws of Life, and he was taken to Rhode Island Hospital with traumatic injuries, according to Deputy Fire Chief Michael P. O’Brien. A woman driving the other vehicle, which fire officials said was struck in the crash, received treatment at the scene from a second ambulance crew, but she refused transport to the hospital, O’Brien said. Bucci said he had no details about a second car or a female driver, and he said the accident report would likely not be completed until at least Saturday. The Portsmouth Fire Department responded to the crash after receiving 911 calls about a serious accident in the vicinity of 507 Middle Road at 10:11 p.m. Thursday. O’Brien commended the emergency responders, whom he said extricated the male driver, began advanced life support and began transport to the trauma center in less than 15 minutes. Source : Man injured in Portsmouth crash charged with DUI