DOUGLAS — On Friday, January 9, 2026, at approximately 3:44 a.m., Douglas police dispatch received a 911 call reporting that a vehicle had crashed into a ditch on Main Street. Douglas Police Officers Christopher Johnson and Sergeant Elias Foynes were dispatched to the scene.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Christopher Johnson for the incident and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
“Sergeant Foynes located the vehicle at the intersection of Webster Street and Main Street,” Officer Johnson said. “The vehicle appeared to have been traveling east on Webster Street, failed to stop at the flashing stop light and signs, and crossed Main Street, exiting the roadway.”
Officer Johnson said that as he arrived in the area, he observed a vehicle with Massachusetts plates in a ditch covered in pricker bushes.
“Fire/EMS arrived at the same time,” Officer Johnson said. “I had to tell the operator to shut the vehicle off and remove the keys from the ignition as the engine was running and her foot was still on the brake. The vehicle was scratched and dented all over. Sergeant Foynes identified the operator as Caroline Tarnuzzer.”
According to police, Caroline L. Tarnuzzer, 18, is a resident of Millville, MA. Court documents indicate Tarnuzzer presently works as a food runner in Mendon, MA.
“Tarnuzzer had a corrective lenses restriction on her license but said her glasses/contacts were at home,” Officer Johnson said. “Sergeant Foynes told me Tarnuzzer fumbled through her belongings and had a hard
time locating her license.”
Tarnuzzer was then evaluated by EMS while Officer Johnson and Sergeant Foynes investigated the crash scene.
“Tarnuzzer initially denied medical attention,” Officer Johnson said, adding that Tarnuzzer then requested to be transported to the hospital due to rapid breathing and anxiety.
“Tarnuzzer was unsteady on her feet and had to be assisted to the ambulance by EMS personnel,” Officer Johnson said. “I engaged in conversation with Tarnuzzer inside the ambulance. I could smell a slight fruity odor of alcohol emitting from Tarnuzzer as she spoke to me in the back of the ambulance. There was also a heavy perfume smell on Tarnuzzer’s person. Tarnuzzer’s eyes were heavily bloodshot and glossy. Tarnuzzer’s speech was slow and slurred.”
Officer Johnson asked Tarnuzzer if she had consumed any alcohol that evening.
“Tarnuzzer stated she consumed a shot of Smirnoff vodka and a ‘Cutwater’ alcoholic drink at her friend [name redacted] house on Webster Street after she left work at 10:30 p.m.,” Officer Johnson said. “Tarnuzzer could not perform a full set of SFSTs [Standardized Field Sobriety Tests] as she was strapped into the stretcher to be transported to Hubbard Hospital.”
Officer Johonson said he administered the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus and a preliminary breathalyzer tests to Tarnuzzer while she in a supine position on the stretcher.
According to findlaw.com, the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test is a field sobriety test where an officer has an individual follow an object (such as a pen tip or pen light) with his/her eyes. The HGN test checks for the involuntary jerking of one’s eyes as they gaze side to side. This involuntary jerkiness is said to increase while under the influence of alcohol.
“The first test performed was Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus,” Officer Johnson said. “I instructed Tarnuzzer to keep her head straight while lying in the stretcher. I then instructed Tarnuzzer to follow the tip of my finger with her eyes and her eyes only. Tarnuzzer stated she understood and I began. Upon completion of the test, I observed lack of smooth and continuous pursuit in both eyes. I observed distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation in both eyes. I also observed the onset of nystagmus prior to forty-five degrees in both eyes. The results of the test indicated impairment.”
The second test Officer Johnson had Tarnuzzer perform was a preliminary breathalyzer test—often called a PBT—is a portable roadside device police use to estimate how much alcohol is in a person’s system.
“I asked Tarnuzzer to submit to a Preliminary Breathalyzer Test to determine her Blood Alcohol Concentration [i.e., BAC]. The reading of 0.192 indicated impairment,” Officer Johnson said. Adding, “At the conclusion of my investigation, I formed the opinion that Tarnuzzer was operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. Tarnuzzer was evaluated at the hospital while in police custody.”
Officer Johnson said Sergeant Foynes remained on scene and performed a motor vehicle inventory.
“Sergeant Foynes located several open and closed containers of alcohol during the inventory. A single closed can of Cutwater Strawberry Margarita was located in the box on the back seat,” Officer Johnson said. “A Bud Light aluminum can was located, open and partially consumed, in a black shopping bag in the back seat. Multiple closed ‘nips’ of varying alcoholic beverages were located in the black shopping bag as well. Other empty cans and packaging were also located in the rear compartment. The vehicle was towed from the roadway by J.D. Bousquet & Sons Inc.”
Officer Johnson said that Tarnuzzer was read Miranda warnings at approximately 4:40 a.m. while at the hospital and she agreed to answer questions.
“Tarnuzzer stated she was distracted because she was on a FaceTime video chat with her boyfriend while driving. Tarnuzzer said she was holding the phone in front of her face to look at it,” Officer Johnson said. “Tarnuzzer said she was fighting with her boyfriend over being at the party with other boys. Tarnuzzer said she believed she ‘rolled’ through the stoplight and ‘swerved to avoid an animal.’ Tarnuzzer said she might have seen the animal on a friend’s ‘story’ and imagined it. Tarnuzzer stated she ‘swerved off the road’ and then attempted to back up before becoming stuck.”
Officer Johnson said that Tarnuzzer told him her boyfriend advised her to call police, but she did not want to “rat” herself out.
“Tarnuzzer denied driving through the adjacent field,” Officer Johnson said. “Tarnuzzer said she begs her father to buy her alcohol all the time and he tells her to remove the empties from her car. Tarnuzzer said she usually is the designated driver for her friends and that she felt sober.”
Tarnuzzer was then transported to the Douglas Police Department for booking.
“Sergeant Foynes read Miranda Warnings to Tarnuzzer at 6:39 a.m., while in booking, and she refused to answer additional questions,” Officer Johnson said. “Statutory Rights and Consent were read at approximately 6:45 a.m. I requested that Tarnuzzer submit to a chemical breath test to determine her blood alcohol concentration to which she agreed. The 15 minute observation period began at this time. The breath test was performed at approximately 7:11 a.m. with a reportable BAC of 0.12%.”
Officer Johnson said the video of the crash was later obtained from the Flock Camera located at the intersection of Main Street and Webster Street. According to the video, the crash occurred at approximately 3:25 a.m.
“In the video, the vehicle leaves the eastbound lane of travel, crosses the double yellow center lines, and enters the westbound lane of Webster Street,” Officer Johnson said. “The vehicle appears to never reduce speed or stop at the flashing stop light and stop signs at the intersection. The vehicle then appears to cross Main Street and exit the roadway just to the left of the utility pole before exiting the frame. This appears to be in the location of a second set of tracks leading from Main Street into the field.”
Caroline L. Tarnuzzer, 18, of Millville, was charged with the following violations/offenses:
- OUI – Liquor
- Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle
- Marked Lanes Violation
- Person Under 21 Possessing Alcohol
- Fail to Stop at Sign/Light
- Use of Electronic Device While Operating a Motor Vehicle
Tarnuzzer’s bail was set at personal recognizance.
Tarnuzzer’s arraignment was scheduled for the morning of January 10, 2026, in Uxbridge District Court.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in January, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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