Highway 69 crash caused by driver falling asleep, charges laid

A 24-year-old driver has been charged after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into guardrails on Highway 69 in the French River area, police say.

Officers were called to the single-vehicle collision just after 4 p.m. on Saturday, Ontario Provincial Police said in a news release Tuesday morning.

"Preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle was traveling south on the highway and the driver had fallen asleep, before striking the guard rails," police said.

"Both the driver and passenger were transported by Sudbury paramedic services to the local hospital with non-life threatening injuries."

The driver, from Britt, Ont., was given a breathalyzer, which detected alcohol.

As a result, the person has been charged with careless driving and being a novice driver with a blood alcohol concentration above zero.

"The OPP would like to remind motorists to recognize some of the signs of fatigue; yawing, eyes closing, losing focus, blinking more than usual, feeling drowsy, light-headed and having trouble keeping your head up. If you feel fatigued while driving pull over and take a rest. Only sleep can cure fatigue," police said.

A careless driving conviction comes with a fine between $2,000 and $50,000, a prison sentence up to two years and a license suspension of up to five years.

Having a blood-alcohol level above zero while driving on a highway as a young driver comes with a fine between $60 and $500 if convicted.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.