Sudbury police track erratic driver from Hwy. 17 to his arrest in Azilda

A combined effort by the Ontario Provincial Police and Greater Sudbury Police ended with impaired driving charges for a 62-year-old man from southern Ontario. (File)

A combined effort by the Ontario Provincial Police and Greater Sudbury Police ended with impaired driving charges for a 62-year-old man from southern Ontario.

The incident began July 13 at 8:20 p.m., when the OPP told Sudbury police about a dangerous driver heading their way.

“Information provided was that the OPP had received numerous complaints of a vehicle being driven erratically on Highway 17 traveling westbound,” Sudbury police said in a news release Tuesday.

“Officers in an unmarked vehicle located the vehicle on Elm Street at Durham Street. The vehicle was stopped at a red light. When the light turned green, the driver accelerated quickly and at a high rate of speed, spinning the tires of the vehicle.”

Unmarked police vehicle

The unmarked police vehicle followed the driver at a distance and called in police cruisers to help.

“Officers coordinated a rolling stop on MR35 at Montee Principale as it was determined that the driver and vehicle were a danger to public safety,” police said.

“While at a red light on MR35 at Montee Principale, an officer in a marked cruiser activated the emergency lights and sirens to indicate a traffic stop, while the unmarked vehicle and another police cruiser were positioned to complete the rolling stop.”

While the driver accelerated to try and flee, he wasn’t able to get around the police vehicles and ended up colliding with a cruiser.

There were no injuries.

“Officers approached the vehicle and directed the driver to exit the vehicle, however, the driver would not comply,” police said.

“Officers removed the driver from the vehicle and placed the driver under arrest. Upon searching the individual incident to arrest, officers located drug paraphernalia.”

The driver was taken to police headquarters, where he was evaluated by a drug recognition expert, who concluded he was impaired by drugs.

He is charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving, obstructing police and fleeing from police.

He appeared in bail court Monday and was released.