Police: Repeat Offender Faces Habitual DWI Charge After Arrest

SMITHFIELD, N.C. — A Smithfield man with multiple prior driving while impaired convictions is facing a habitual DWI charge following his latest arrest, during which police say he refused to comply with officers and had to be forcibly removed from his vehicle.

Thomas Craig Richard, 39, of West Underwood Avenue, was arrested May 2 by Smithfield Police.

Officers were initially dispatched around 10:57 p.m. to Kay Drive after a concerned citizen reported a man in a vehicle attempting to purchase narcotics. The vehicle left the area before officers arrived, but a matching vehicle was located a short time later on East Crestview Drive.

According to police, the driver refused commands to exit the vehicle and was forcibly removed before being taken into custody.

Richard later registered a blood alcohol concentration of 0.09, above the legal limit of 0.08.

Police said Richard has three prior DWI convictions — in Lee County in 2018, Orange County in 2023, and Alamance County in 2024 — leading to the habitual impaired driving charge.

He is also charged with resisting a public officer and driving while license revoked due to a prior impaired driving conviction.

The 2018 Chevrolet pickup Richard was driving was seized as part of the investigation.

Richard was held at the Johnston County Detention Center under a $5,000 secured bond.