Driver found with nearly double legal alcohol limit after overnight collision in southwest Ottawa

Ottawa Police sign outside headquarters on Elgin St. in Ottawa. (CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa police say a driver was found with a blood alcohol concentration nearly double the legal limit after a crash overnight.

Police were called to the intersection of Dwyer Hill Road and Roger Stevens Drive at around 12:08 a.m. after a driver drove into a ditch and hit a hydro pole, causing minor injuries.

The driver was arrested, and police say the person had a blood alcohol concentration of 130 mg. The legal limit is 80.

The driver is charged impaired operation of a conveyance and operation of a conveyance with a BAC of 80 mg or more, police said.

“As we enter the holiday season, please plan a safe ride home if you intend to consume alcohol or drugs,” police said on social media.

Last weekend marked the start of the Ottawa Police Service’s Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign. Six drivers were given three-day licence suspensions and one driver was charged with impaired driving during the first three days of the program, police said.

Ottawa police say they’ve laid more than 700 impaired driving charges in the city this year.

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