Intoxicated American in the Sault fled paramedics, got into pickup truck and drove away

A U.S. citizen is facing impaired driving and other charges following an incident May 20 in Sault Ste. Marie. (File)

A U.S. citizen is facing impaired driving and other charges following an incident May 20 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Sault paramedics contacted police around 6:30 p.m. to get help taking the 42-year-old suspect to hospital.

The “highly intoxicated person … needed to be transported to hospital in Sault Ste Marie,” the OPP said in a news release Wednesday.

“The intoxicated person then (left) the care of the paramedics in a pickup truck from Harmony Beach Road in Goulais Township.”

Police found the truck on Highway 17 in Aweres Township as it headed south towards Sault Ste Marie.

Officers tried to get the vehicle to stop.

“Police observed the pickup truck intentionally swerve towards an oncoming marked police cruiser with its emergency lights activated, which was parked on the far east side of the highway and was waiting to assist,” police said.

“The pickup truck then pulled into a gas station. While speaking to the driver officers determined the driver had consumed alcohol. The driver was arrested and transported to Sault Area Hospital for an assessment.”

The accused was released from hospital around 3 a.m. to find police waiting for him.

The suspect, who is from Norway, Mich., is charged with failing to comply with a demand for a breath sample, dangerous driving, fleeing from police and impaired driving.

The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sault Ste Marie on June 24.

The pickup truck was towed and impounded for seven days with the driver being issued a 90-day drivers licence suspension.