Guelph man charged after being found unconscious in vehicle

An image of a generic tire on a road. (Pexels/Mike Bird)

A 59-year-old Guelph man faces impaired driving and drug charges after police found him passed out behind the wheel of a parked car early Tuesday.

Guelph police were responding to an unrelated call at a south-end townhouse complex around 1 a.m. when they spotted the unconscious man in the driver’s seat.

“Officers noticed a white powdered substance near the man’s lip and could see two baggies of suspected cocaine inside the car,” police said in a news release.

Police removed the man from the vehicle, noted signs of impairment, and found an empty liquor bottle behind the seat.

The man was arrested and taken to the police station, where tests confirmed his blood-alcohol concentration was over the legal limit.

He has been charged with impaired operation and possession of a controlled substance. His driver’s licence was suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle was impounded for seven days.

Police are reminding the public to arrange a safe ride home before consuming alcohol or cannabis, and to call 911 immediately if they suspect an impaired driver.