Greater Sudbury police arrested two impaired drivers during the weekend for driving while allegedly intoxicated.
The first of the two arrests took place just before 10:45 p.m. on Dec. 19 as part of their Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) spot checks.
Police conduct RIDE spot checks throughout the year, but increase efforts during this time of year with their Festive RIDE program to coincide with the holiday season.
The RIDE spot checks were taking place on Municipal Road 80 in Val Caron, when officers reported witnessing a motorist turn around prior to reaching the check point to avoid police.
After he was spotted and pulled over by police, they determined the motorist was a prohibited driver due to three separate suspensions, including two impaired driving-related convictions with a lifetime driving ban, according to a Greater Sudbury Police Service media release.
Police administered an Approved Screening Device (breath or saliva test), under which the driver registered a fail.
During the interaction, officers also noted multiple Highway Traffic Act infractions, including his vehicle having only one licence plate and no insurance. The driver was also in possession of a driver’s licence knowing it was suspended.
The driver was arrested and taken to police headquarters where officers located illicit drugs believed to be amphetamines, according to the GSPS media release.
As a result of the investigation, a 28-year-old man has been charged with the following offences under the Criminal Code of Canada, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Highway Traffic Act:
- Operation while impaired
- Operation while impaired – blood alcohol that is equal to or exceeds 80mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood
- Fail to comply with probation
- Possession of a schedule I substance
- Owner operate vehicle no insurance
- Failing to forward suspended licence to registrar
- Drive motor vehicle fail to display two plates
- Driving while under suspension
- Fail to notify change of address.
The suspect was held in custody overnight and attended court on Dec. 20 to answer to the charges.
The second incident took place shortly before 1:50 a.m. on Dec. 21, when officers from the Integrated Traffic Safety Unit reported seeing a vehicle driven erratically on Notre Dame Avenue.
In conversation with the driver, police determined he was suspended due to unpaid fines, according to the GSPS media release.
“Due to the erratic driving behaviour,” police administered an Approved Screening Device, which registered an alert. Since the driver holds a G2 licence with a zero tolerance for alcohol while driving, and this was the second alert he has received, their licence was suspended for seven days.
Following his interaction with police, the driver said a family would show up to give them a ride home.
However, shortly after the police officer left, the driver, rather than calling a family member, reportedly got back into his vehicle and left the parking lot, “now with two driver’s licence suspensions,” the GSPS media release noted.
Upon exiting the parking lot, the driver failed to stop for a stop sign at Bond Street and Notre Dame Avenue, which prompted another traffic stop from a different officer.
This new officer administered another Approved Screening Device, resulting in another alert, prompting a 30-day driver’s licence suspension.
As a result of the two separate incidents, the 27-year-old man has been charged with the following offences under the Highway Traffic Act:
- Driving while under suspension x3
- Fail to notify change of address x2
- Novice driver – blood alcohol concentration above zero x2
- Disobey stop sign - fail to stop
The 27-year-old’s vehicle was impounded for seven days and is being held until the matter is dealt with in court. The suspect was released with a future court date to answer to the charges.