Manitoulin motorist faces driving, impaired and drug charges

A stock photo showing a blurred view from the inside a car to simulate impaired driving. (File photo/iStock/Lucas Ninno)

A 36-year-old man is facing multiple charges after an automated license plate recognition system alerted police to a possible suspended driver, leading to an impaired driving arrest and the seizure of suspected cocaine and morphine last month.

Ontario Provincial Police said an officer was conducting patrols on Highway 551 in M’Chigeeng First Nation on March 26, when the cruiser’s automated license plate recognition system issued the alert.

“A traffic stop was initiated and following further investigation, the driver was arrested for impaired operation,” said OPP in a news release Wednesday.

Police said that during the investigation, police seized an amount of suspected crack cocaine and suspected morphine. OPP estimated the street value of the drugs at $235.

As a result, the motorist, a local man, was charged with impaired driving, driving while under suspension, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, failing to surrender a permit for a motor vehicle and drug possession.

In addition to the charges, under provincial law, the man’s driver’s licence was automatically suspended for 90 days and the vehicle involved was impounded by police.

The accused was released and is scheduled to appear in court in Gore Bay on April 28.