A 28-year-old man is facing several charges after an impaired driving investigation in Timmins turned physical last week. Timmins police received a complaint regarding a motor vehicle that struck a snowbank along Riverside Drive at about 8:53 p.m. on March 25. “The caller reported that the driver appeared to be impaired,” police said in a news release. Police quickly arrived and located the vehicle. The driver was not injured and declined medical attention. “Through the course of the investigation, officers formed grounds to believe that the driver was impaired by drugs,” said police. Police said the accused refused to comply with orders to exit the vehicle and subsequently assaulted them. “Following a brief altercation, officers gained control of the situation,” said police. The accused later provided a sample, and a drug recognition evaluation was conducted. The man was charged with dangerous driving, obstructing police, assault with intent to resist arrest and being a Class G1 licence holder unaccompanied by a qualified driver, along with two impaired driving offences. In addition to the charges, under provincial law, the motorist also received a 90-day driver’s licence suspension and the vehicle was impounded for seven days. The accused was held for bail and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. Ongoing concerns with impaired driving The incident is part of a larger trend being tracked by Timmins police. Since January, the Timmins Police Service has responded to 15 impaired driving-related incidents, resulting in a total of 49 charges. The incidents included nine drug-related impairments and six alcohol-related impairments. “Impaired driving, whether by drugs or alcohol, continues to be a serious and preventable threat to public safety,” said Insp. Tim Chalmers. “These incidents are not just statistics. Each time someone chooses to drive impaired, they are putting their life and the lives of others at risk. The consequences can be severe and, in many cases, irreversible.” The 49 charges laid so far in 2026 include 15 counts of operation while impaired, eight counts of operation while impaired by blood drug concentration, and five counts of blood alcohol concentration over 80 milligrams. Additionally, police have laid seven charges for dangerous operation, two for obstructing a peace officer, one for flight from police, one for resisting arrest and one for assault with intent to resist. Other charges laid during this period include drug possession, two counts of operation while prohibited, two counts of driving while under suspension, two counts of failure to comply with a probation order and one count of being a Class G1 licence holder unaccompanied by a qualified driver. Public Reminder The police service used the incident to emphasize the dangers of impaired driving and to ask for the public’s assistance in keeping roads safe. “Impaired driving is a criminal offence – and it can cost lives,” said Timmins police. Police said that impaired driving remains a leading cause of serious injury and fatal collisions. Officers also urged the public to plan ahead by using a designated driver, calling a taxi, or arranging alternative transportation. Anyone who suspects someone is driving impaired is asked to contact the Timmins Police Service at 705-264-1201.
