Man with can of alcohol in pocket among recently stopped impaired drivers: N.S. RCMP

(File image)

Police say they stopped half a dozen impaired drivers in the Halifax area last week, which happened to be National Impaired Driving Prevention Week.

Officers report smelling cannabis, alcohol

Two of the incidents happened on Thursday. The first involved a driver on the Timberlea Village Parkway.

An RCMP officer stopped a Ford Focus around 6:50 p.m. for expired registration.

Police say the officer smelled cannabis while talking to the driver.

The 33-year-old Timberlea woman was issued a 24-hour driving suspension.

Another incident happened about three hours later, also in Timberlea.

An officer saw a Hyundai Tucson travelling without taillights on St. Margarets Bay Road and pulled the driver over.

Police say the officer smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath and took a roadside breath sample.

A 39-year-old man from Timberlea reportedly blew a “warn” and was issued a week-long licence suspension.

Porters Lake incidents

The next day, at 3:15 p.m., the driver of a Honda Civic was stopped while leaving a business on Highway 7 in Porters Lake.

Police say the driver was seen putting a can of alcohol in his pocket before getting in the driver’s seat.

A roadside breath sample was taken, which he allegedly failed.

The 46-year-old was arrested for impaired driving.

He was taken to the Cole Harbour RCMP Detachment where he gave two more breath samples.

Police say the samples registered at 100 mg% and 90 mg%. The West Porters Lake man is facing charges of impaired driving and driving over 80 mg%.

Later that day, at 7:50 p.m. an officer stopped a Jeep Compass – also on Highway 7 in Porters Lake.

The driver was allegedly not wearing a seatbelt and showed signs of impairment by drug.

He took a field sobriety test and police say he “performed poorly.”

The 23-year-old Dartmouth man was issued a seven-day licence suspension.

Driver allegedly caught for speeding, expired safety inspection

An officer stopped a Ford Explorer on Highway 7 in Head of Chezzetcook around 9:20 p.m. Friday.

Police say the driver sped past an unmarked police vehicle with an expired safety inspection sticker.

The driver also allegedly showed signs of impairment.

He gave a roadside breath sample which reportedly resulted in a “warn.”

Police say the 43-year-old from Musquodoboit Harbour was issued a week-long licence suspension and summary offence tickets for speeding and the expired safety inspection.

Revoked driver

On Saturday, an officer stopped a Mazda 3 on St. Margarets Bay Road in Beechville around 2:30 p.m.

Police say a licence plate check showed the registered owner was a revoked driver.

The officer reportedly saw an expired inspection sticker, smelled cannabis and noted the driver had a new licence with a no-alcohol-or-drug condition.

Police say the 29-year-old from Middle Sackville had his licence suspended for a day and issued a ticket for the expired inspection.

“National Impaired Driving Prevention Week is a reminder that preventing impaired driving is a shared responsibility throughout the year. If you suspect someone may be driving while impaired, trust your instincts and contact police right away,” the RCMP said in a news release.

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