3 charged with impaired driving in northern Ont. in 12 hours

Impaired drivers recently kept northern Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachments busy – the James Bay detachments charged three people with impaired driving in less than 12 hours.

Shortly before 5 a.m. on Sept. 2, members of the detachment observed an ATV committing several Highway Traffic Act offences, police said in a news release.

Officers initiated a traffic stop on Gurney Road in Kapuskasing.

"It was determined that a driver had consumed alcohol," said police.

"The driver was arrested and transported to the Kapuskasing detachment for further testing."

As a result, the 16-year-old driver from Kapuskasing has been charged with three impaired driving related offences, speeding, failing to stop at a red light, failing to wear a proper helmet, and not surrendering their licence. Also as a G1 class driver being unaccompanied by a qualified driver and driving at an unlawful hour.

Later that afternoon, shortly before 2:30 p.m., a member was on patrol when they were alerted by their vehicle’s automatic licence plate reader that the owner of a vehicle travelling on Brunetville Road was a suspended driver.

"The officer observed the vehicle drive into a parking lot on Brunetville Road, and the driver exit the vehicle," said police.

"A different person then began driving the vehicle within the parking lot, when a traffic stop was initiated."

Police said that upon speaking with the driver they observed them to be "displaying signs of intoxication."

The officer arrested the driver and transported them to the local detachment for further testing.

As a result of the investigation, a 29-year-old from Kapuskasing was charged with impaired driving, possession of property obtained by crime and drug possession.

A 42-year-old Moonbeam resident was charged with driving while suspended in the same incident.

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A few hours later, shortly before 4:30 p.m., police responded to a traffic complaint in Hearst.

"The vehicle was located and stopped by police on 9th street," said the OPP.

"The driver was arrested for impaired driving and then transported to the Kapuskasing OPP detachment for further testing."

Subsequently, the 26-year-old driver from Hearst was charged with impaired driving and drug possession.

All three accused of impaired driving were released and are scheduled to appear in court at a later date.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

In addition to the above charges, each driver was also issued a 90-day administrative driver's licence suspension and had their vehicle impounded for seven days.

"The OPP continues to expand on its drug recognition expert program and standardized field sobriety testing, thus enhancing its ability to detect and evaluate drug-impaired drivers," said police.