Rhode Island man arrested with record blood-alcohol reading

July 23, 2008 On Monday, July 21, Rhode Island State Police arrested a man in Providence, Rhode Island who they claim had the highest blood-alcohol level ever recorded in Rhode Island in a person who is still alive.

Stanley Kobierowski, 34, of North Providence was arrested when he drove his automobile into an electronic traffic message board on Interstate 95. According to Maj. Steven O'Donnell of the state police, "The person's lucky they survived."

Kobierowski was found to be apparently intoxicated when police arrived on the scene of the accident where he had trouble exiting his vehicle. On being taken to the state police barracks, he was administered a breathalyzer test which first registered 0.489, then a second test registered 0.491 percent.

The legal limit for driving under the influence in Rhode Island is 0.08, 0.400 is usually enough for the person to be comatose, and 0.500 percent is enough to be fatal, according to the state health department.