Driver with 0.25% blood alcohol level crashes into police patrol in Río Grande
A 41-year-old man from Luquillo faces charges for drunk driving, crashing into an official police vehicle and illegal firearm possession after the Sunday night collision that left two officers with minor injuries.
File photoThe short version
- Metro Puerto Rico reported that at about 11:25 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11, Alexis Encarnación Rivera crashed his Jeep Cherokee into the rear of a police Jeep Compass assigned to the CIC Fajardo unit on PR-3, km 26.6 in Río Grande
- Both officers sustained minor injuries in the crash, according to Metro Puerto Rico and Telemundo Puerto Rico
- Police said Encarnación Rivera smelled strongly of alcohol, had difficulty speaking and walking, and a breath test after observation yielded 0.25% blood alcohol level
- Officers seized a loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver for which he had no license; the case will be referred to the Fajardo court for charges
Collision with official vehicle
A 41-year-old resident of Luquillo identified as Alexis Encarnación Rivera was arrested after his vehicle struck a police patrol car in Río Grande on Sunday night. Metro Puerto Rico reported that the incident occurred at approximately 11:25 p.m. on highway PR-3 at kilometer 26.6 when the Jeep Cherokee he was driving hit the rear of a Jeep Compass assigned to the Criminal Investigations Corps in Fajardo.
The official vehicle was occupied by two police officers. Both agents suffered minor injuries as a result of the impact, Metro Puerto Rico and Telemundo Puerto Rico reported.
Alcohol test and firearm seizure
During the intervention, officers noted that Encarnación Rivera emitted a strong odor of alcohol, had difficulty speaking and walking, and was suspected of driving under the influence. A .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver loaded with six rounds was seized from him; he did not possess a license to carry weapons, both outlets stated.
He was taken to the Fajardo Highway Patrol Division where, after the required observation period, he was administered a breath test with the Intoxilyzer 9000 that registered a blood alcohol level of 0.25%. The sergeant in charge of the investigation was Joel Flores Román of the Fajardo Highway Patrol, according to Telemundo Puerto Rico. The case is pending filing of charges before the Fajardo court.
Where the sources differ
Both Metro Puerto Rico and Telemundo Puerto Rico agree on the date and time of the incident (11:25 p.m. Sunday), the location (PR-3 km 26.6, Río Grande), the driver's name, age and town, the vehicles involved, the 0.25% alcohol reading, the seized firearm and the minor injuries to both officers. Metro Puerto Rico adds that the official vehicle belonged to the CIC Fajardo unit and that the case will be taken to the Fajardo court for filing of charges. Telemundo Puerto Rico names the investigating sergeant as Joel Flores Román and states that the prosecutor is awaited for formal charges. Both sources mention a separate fatal pedestrian accident in Corozal but provide no conflicting details on the Río Grande event.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not indicate whether the two injured officers required medical treatment beyond first aid or if they were hospitalized. They also do not specify the exact charges that will be filed, the bail amount if any, or the next court date. Results of any additional field sobriety tests or the precise model year of the suspect's vehicle are not mentioned. It is not stated whether the driver made any statements to police beyond the observations noted.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Detienen a conductor con 0.25% de nivel de alcohol que chocó una patrulla de la Policía en Río Grande
- Reporting Conductor en estado de embriaguez impacta patrulla de la Policía en Río Grande
How we checked this
Metro Puerto Rico and Telemundo Puerto Rico both covered the drunk-driving crash into a police vehicle in Río Grande on Oct. 11, 2026. Details on the blood-alcohol reading, firearm seizure and officers' minor injuries appear in both accounts, while the identity of the investigating sergeant rests solely on the Telemundo Puerto Rico report.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.