New Bedford man sentenced to 18 months for Dartmouth drunk driving incident

Craig Dias, 22, of New Bedford was sentenced to serve 18 months in the House of Correction for driving while intoxicated and illegally possessing a firearm. 

Minutes before midnight on Oct. 14, 2024, Dartmouth Police responded to a crash on Old Fall River Road. The car was found in the woods, with Dias standing next to the road. Police noted he had glassy eyes, slurred his speech and smelled of alcohol. 

Dias admitted to taking three shots of Casamigos tequila, and police found two nips of the tequila in the driver’s side door and two empty bottles under the seat. He consented to a breathalyzer test, and blew 0.20. The legal limit to drive is 0.08. 

During the search, police also found a Glock 19 Gen 5 firearm with a magazine containing 13 9mm bullets in a bag on the passenger seat, a firearm holster and 11 more 9mm bullets on the floor. As Dias did not have a License to Carry, he was possessing the gun and bullets illegally.

Dias was charged on Feb. 11 with Unlawful Carrying of a Firearm, Operating under the Influence and Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle. He pled guilty and received a $500 fine as well as the 18 month sentence.