Groton, CT – A Groton woman was arrested morning of Friday, Feb. 20, after plowing into two vehicles while allegedly driving under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration more than four times the legal limit, police said.
According to Groton Town Police Department, Hope P. Wread, 51, of 6 Hawthorn Road, was driving a 2013 Volkswagen Passat westbound on Toll Gate Road when she failed to stop and crashed into a 2023 Hyundai Tucson waiting at a red light at Route 12.
The impact forced the Tucson, driven by Kelly Marison of Nashua, New Hampshire, into a 2010 Ford F-150 operated by Christopher Mills of Groton, officials confirmed.
“Wread failed to complete field sobriety tests to standard,” police said in a statement.
Officers arrested her at the scene and took her to Groton Police Headquarters, where she provided breath samples registering more than 0.32, four times Connecticut’s legal limit of 0.08.
Emergency responders from the Poquonnock Bridge Fire Department, Groton City Fire Department, and Groton Ambulance assisted at the crash site. No injuries were reported, but Wread’s vehicle was disabled and had to be towed.
The police stated that Wread was driving on a suspended license due to a prior DUI conviction and was also required to have an ignition interlock device installed on her vehicle, which was absent.
Wread was charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence (second offense), illegal operation under suspension (alcohol-related), failure to equip her vehicle with an ignition interlock device, and following too closely.
She was held on a $2,500 cash or surety bond and is scheduled to appear in court.
Police are urging anyone with information on traffic violations or other criminal activity to contact the Groton Town Police Department at (860) 441-6712.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
