A 42-year-old North Bay man has been charged with drug, driving and weapons offences following an incident last week that began as an aggressive driving complaint. Police responded at 3:30 p.m. July 22 “to a traffic complaint regarding an aggressive driver in the area of Main Street East and Lakeshore Drive.” “Officers located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on Milford Crescent,” police said in a news release July 27. Signs of drugged driving “During the traffic stop, officers observed signs consistent with drug impairment and found the driver to be in possession of a controlled substance.” He was taken to police headquarters, where he failed a drug recognition evaluation. “A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of suspected illicit drugs believed to be intended for the purpose of trafficking, as well as a replica handgun,” police said. “In addition to the criminal charges, the driver’s licence was automatically suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle was impounded for seven days.” Items seized during the search include a pellet handgun, drugs believed to be 17.3 grams of cocaine and four Percocet pills, as well as $650 in cash. The suspect has been charged with drug trafficking, impaired driving, weapons possession and possession of the proceeds of crime. “Our members responded quickly, conducted a thorough investigation, identified the risks involved, and took action to prevent further harm to the public,” Insp. Scott MacFarlane said in the news release. “We remain committed to addressing dangerous behaviour and protecting our community.” The accused was arrested and held in custody pending a bail hearing.
