Two arrested for impaired driving in less than two hours

Efforts to reduce impaired driving in the northeast seem to be working in some communities – provincial police say stats are still high.

Ontario Provincial Police charged two drivers with impaired-related offences during a reduced impaired driving everywhere (RIDE) operation on Centre Street in Espanola earlier this month.

On April 18 at about 12:30 a.m., officers stopped a vehicle and arrested the driver after an investigation. As a result, a 31-year-old woman from Little Current faces charges of operating an unsafe vehicle and two counts of impaired driving – including operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 80.

Less than two hours later

Police continued the RIDE check, and around 2 a.m., another motorist was arrested after officers detected an “odour of an alcoholic beverage” when speaking with them. As a result, the 22-year-old from Wikwemikong was charged with driving while under suspension, driving while having cannabis readily available, and operating a vehicle with an open container of liquor, along with two impaired driving charges – also including operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 80.

In addition to the charges, under provincial legislation, both drivers also had their licences suspended for 90 days and the vehicles involved were impounded by police for seven days at the owner’s expense.

Both accused are scheduled to appear in court at a later date to answer the charges.

‘Make the call’

The OPP urged the public to report suspected impaired drivers.

“If you suspect an impaired driver on our roads, waterways or trails, don’t hesitate to ‘make the call’ and dial 911,” OPP said.

“Your phone call could save someone’s life.”

“Drive sober,” added OPP Const. Berkley Parisien in a related social media post.