NORTHAMPTON — Bar-hopping on St. Patrick’s Day took an ugly turn for one young couple, Bria Curran and Thomas J. Rios, who were arraigned in Northampton District Court on Friday morning.

Police allege that Curran, 20, of Enfield, Connecticut, was driving 60 mph and swerving between lanes shortly before 2 a.m. She was driving to get bail money for Rios, Officer John Perry wrote in his account of the incident.

Just shy of an hour earlier, police were called to the Tunnel Bar on Strong Avenue at 12:57 a.m. after employees reported a man had been asked to leave and smashed the front window on the way out. Records show that Tunnel Bar employees identified Rios, 27, of Westfield, as the man who punched the glass. 

Tunnel Bar employee William Barbeau told officers that Rios fled to the bike path — where police found him — after employees confronted him and asked him to pay for the damage. Curran was at the scene and spoke with officers, according to police. 

Following Rios’ arrest, Perry was monitoring traffic on Locust Street when a motorist pulled up next to his cruiser and told him that a woman in a black sedan had run a red light and nearly “T-boned” him at the intersection near Cooley Dickinson Hospital, according to Perry’s report.

Perry reported that he found a black sedan speeding and swerving on North Elm Street, and pulled the driver over to find Curran at the wheel. He reported an odor of alcohol, noted her “bloodshot and glassy” eyes and slurred words. She told Perry “they had gone bar-hopping for St. Patrick’s Day,” according to the police report. 

Perry arrested Curran after she failed a field sobriety test, and he confiscated her fake identification, according to police.  

Curran was charged with being a minor in possession of alcohol, operating while under the influence of alcohol, possession of an open container in a motor vehicle, marked lanes violation and speeding. Rios was charged with malicious destruction of property valued over $250. Curran and Rios were released on personal recognizance after their arraignment Friday.

Curran and Rios could not be reached for comment Friday.

According to Tunnel Bar owner Jeremiah Micka, the window will cost $500 to replace. He said the glass will be fixed within hours, but the window’s etching — the more costly portion of  its replacement — will take longer.

Micka said he is happy that police caught Rios and that dealing with out-of-control revelers can be an unfortunate downside to owning a bar.

“The frustrating thing about our business is (alcohol is) a legalized drug,” said Micka. “It takes a lot of patience, care, and understanding.” 

Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.