On Saturday February 22nd State Police Trooper Drew was on Bay Ave in Newport and noticed a male and female who both appeared to be highly intoxicated walking on the sidewalk on Bay Ave. During the conversation, with the two the OSP Trooper offered to call them a cab multiple times and advised both of them not to operate a vehicle due to their high level of intoxication.
Approximately ten minutes later the male, identified as 41-year old Michael C. O'Neil was observed getting into a Toyota and leave the area towards Hwy 101. The car was stopped on Abbey St near Hwy 101 and the Mr. O'Neil consented to safety field sobriety test's. Afterward he was arrested for DUII and refused the breath test at the Lincoln County Jail. The Trooper obtained a search warrant and a sample of his blood, which was taken at the Newport Hospital. O'Neil was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail in Newport for DUII.