Police: Teen driver was drunk during crash that injured his brother

STAMFORD — A 19-year-old Stamford man was driving drunk during a crash that left his younger brother seriously injured last February, according to police.

Donald Berrios-Ruiz was charged with second-degree assault, driving under the influence, reckless driving and violation of a protective order.

The charges stem from a car crash in the 600-block of Webbs Hill Road on the afternoon of Feb. 22.

Sgt. Jeffrey Booth said an investigation determined that Berrios-Ruiz, who was 18 at the time, was likely driving at a high rate of speed while intoxicated in the moments before he flipped his car and sent his then 14-year-old brother crashing through the windshield.

When police arrived on the scene, they found the 14-year-old lying in the street bleeding, Booth said. Berrios-Ruiz was uninjured in the crash, he said.

At first, police believed the 14year-old had suffered non-lifethreatening injuries in the crash.

However, his medical condition declined as time wore on, and he eventually needed to be transported by helicopter to Yale-New Haven Hospital in critical condition, Booth said.

The 14-year-old later made a full recovery, Booth said.

Booth said a toxicology report found Berrios-Ruiz’s blood alcohol content was .081, more than four times the legal limit at the time of the crash. The legal limit for individuals under 21 years old is .02.

Police also later learned that there was a standing protective order barring Berrios-Ruiz from having contact with his brother.

Berrios-Ruiz was arrested on a warrant Thursday. He was released on a promise to appear in court on April 7.