Glocester police continued to investigate what caused Lori Benoit, 39, who was heading west on Putnam Pike in Chepachet, to drive her car into the breakdown lane on the eastbound side of the road.

01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, March 21, 2006

BY PHILIP MARCELO
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- The North Smithfield driver allegedly involved in the crash that killed two men and injured three others in Glocester early Saturday morning was ordered held without bail yesterday on a probation violation.

Glocester police continued to investigate what caused Lori Benoit, 39, who was heading west on Putnam Pike in Chepachet, to drive her car into the breakdown lane on the eastbound side of the road around 1 a.m. The police said Robert George, 36, of 1259 Putnam Pike, and Jason Roy, 36, of Reservoir Avenue, Rehoboth, were struck and killed. Police officers returned to the scene of the accident yesterday.

The accident occurred two houses east of the St. Eugene Roman Catholic Church rectory on a level and straight portion of Putnam Pike, the main throughway in Chepachet.

Although there was fatal accident 11 years ago in nearly the exact same location, Police Department spokesman Capt. David Laplante said yesterday that it was not a particularly dangerous portion of the road.

Benoit was arraigned yesterday on two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, death resulting, and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, with personal injury resulting.

The police said that after celebrating St. Patrick's Day at the White Horse Tavern in Glocester, George and Roy were standing outside George's house with friends Stephanie Houle, of Dayville, Conn., Rebecca Baeza, 23, of Thompson, Conn., and David Bolduc, 27, of Glocester, when Benoit allegedly drove into the group and sped away.

George and Roy died at the scene.

Baeza and Bolduc were injured. Baeza is in intensive care at Rhode Island Hospital and listed in fair condition. Bolduc was treated and released over the weekend.

The challenge the police now face is trying to piece together the events leading up to the accident when the witnesses could not agree on exactly what happened before the car struck the group, Laplante said.

"Nobody saw anything," Laplante said.

Laplante said he expected the investigation will take one week.

Benoit's initial appearance in court yesterday was at 10 a.m. in District Court, where Judge Michael A. Higgins ordered her to be held on $100,000 bail.

Hours later, she faced Superior Court Judge William J. McAtee on a charge that she had violated her probation for a prior narcotics felony.

Wearing a baggy gray sweater, pink sweat pants and white tennis shoes, Benoit's eyes were downcast for the brief proceedings. McAtee ordered her held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston until an April 3 hearing in Superior Court.

Benoit began a two-year probation sentence on Feb. 22, 2005, for possession of a controlled substance, disorderly conduct, assaulting a police officer, and simple assault.

Probation violators face the maximum penalty allowed under the original charge, according to Jerry Coyne, state deputy attorney general.

Although family and friends of the two victims and family and friends of Benoit attended the morning arraignment, only one of the victim's friends and one member of Benoit's family were present in the afternoon hearing.

Gary Sunday, the father of George's ex-wife, watched the afternoon proceeding.

"We just want to make sure she doesn't go free," he said.

Benoit's father, Robert, who is the building inspector in North Smithfield, was also present but declined to comment to a reporter.

pmarcelo@projo.com / (401) 277-7493