2 nabbed for impaired-related charges within an hour: police

A glass of liquor with ice, car keys and police handcuffs are shown in this stock image. (File photo/AlexRaths/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Police in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., charged two people in separate impaired driving-related incidents less than 30 minutes early Sunday morning – with one case involving erratic driving and another that saw a driver flee from officers.

Woman charged after erratic driving report

A 29-year-old woman faces impaired driving charges after officers responded to a report of an erratic driver on Bay Street around 2 a.m. on May 24.

Police said 911 operators received the report and officers located the vehicle near Wellington Street East.

“Upon speaking with the driver, officers developed grounds to believe their ability to operate a motor vehicle was impaired by alcohol,” said the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service in a news release.

The woman provided a breathalyzer sample, which registered as a fail.

As a result, she was taken into custody and transported to the Police Services Building, where she provided multiple breath samples to a qualified technician, all of which registered above the legal limit.

The accused was charged with two impaired driving offences, including operation with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

She was released on an appearance notice and is scheduled to appear in court on June 22.

Man attempted to evade police

Then shortly before 2:30 a.m., police said officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a vehicle in the 600 block of Queen Street East.

“The vehicle drove away from police,” the service said.

Around 3 a.m., police said officers located the vehicle in the 400 block of Bruce Street.

“Upon speaking with the driver, officers observed an open container of alcohol within their reach,” said police.

As a result, the motorist, a 22-year-old man, was arrested.

Sault police said officers read the man a lawful demand for a breath sample, but he refused to provide one.

Consequently, the man was charged with flight from a peace officer, failing or refusing to comply with a demand, driving with an open container of liquor and driving while under suspension.

This accused was also released on an appearance notice and is scheduled to appear in court on June 22.

In addition to the criminal charges, under provincial law, all motorists charged with refusing to comply with a demand face the same immediate sanctions as those charged with impaired driving.

Subsequently, both motorists had their driver’s licences suspended for 90 days and the vehicles involved were impounded for one week.