Stonington — A veteran first grade teacher at West Vine Street School, who was charged in connection with a drunk driving crash on Route 1 last October, has now been charged with driving under the influence in Rhode Island as well as reckless driving in Stonington after police say she was seen weaving down Elmridge Road and throwing liquor bottles out of her car window.

Anne Collette, 53, of 4 Woodland Court, Pawcatuck, appeared in Third District Court in Rhode Island on Tuesday, where she pleaded no contest to DWI-first offense in connection with a May 31 incident in which she was charged by state police from the Hope Valley barracks.

Details of that arrest were not available Tuesday from state police.

Collette initially was sentenced Tuesday to one year probation and fined $500 and also ordered to pay $725 in court fees, attend a DWI treatment program and perform 40 hours of community service.

She also lost her license in Rhode Island for six months.

But Collette’s attorney Michael Cozzolino explained that because she has appealed the charge to Superior Court in an effort to receive a jury trial, the no-contest plea and penalties immediately were vacated.

He said he did not know if the incident would affect her employment but said she would vigorously defend herself against the charges.

Superintendent of Schools Van Riley said Tuesday that Collette is teaching at West Vine Street School. He declined to comment further because it is a personnel matter. She has taught there for 18 years.

Stonington police said that at 5:50 p.m. on April 11, a Saturday, police received a report from a witness that a car was being driven erratically on Elmridge Road, crossing the center line and going onto the dirt shoulder while just missing a pole and another car.

The driver also reportedly was seen throwing bottles out the window.

After checking the license plate number, police went to Collette’s home, where they said residents were uncooperative and said the officers could not speak to Collette.

An officer returned to Elmridge Road and recovered liquor bottles where the witness said they were thrown.

Police said they made repeated attempts to notify Collette since April that there was a warrant for her arrest but she did not turn herself in until Aug. 17, when she was charged with reckless driving, failure to drive right and littering.

Collette is free on a $7,500 bond and next is slated to appear in New London Superior Court on Sept 30. Her attorney in that case, Anthony Basilica of New London, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

On Oct. 29, 2014, Stonington police charged Collette with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and failure to drive right after they said she crashed her car into a guardrail on Elm Street, causing the vehicle to roll over onto Route 1.

She suffered minor injuries in the 8:45 p.m. crash.

The outcome of that case is unknown, as it has been deleted from the state judicial department online database.

That typically occurs when a first-time offender successfully completes the state's alcohol education program.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas