SUDBURY -- After receiving complaints about people speeding in the area, the Ontario Provincial Police in Nipissing West pulled over a speeding ATV driver and charged him.
Police received the complaint July 23 about ATVers on White Tail Road in French River. While conducting patrols around 3 p.m., police spotted two eastbound ATVs "travelling at a high rate of speed," and pulled them over.
"Officers conducted a mandatory alcohol screening test on both drivers, which resulted in one driver registering a 'pass' and the other registered a 'fail,'" police said in a news release.
As a result, a 61-year-old man from Noelville is charged with impaired driving and speeding. He was released and will return to court July 19 in Sudbury. His driver's license was also suspended for 90 days.
"OPP investigations into (off-road vehicle) collisions continue to show that losing control, alcohol consumption, lack of experience and overall carelessness are major contributing factors in severe injuries and deaths," police said in the release.
''Off-road vehicle drivers need to remember that the size and horsepower of some of these units are on the increase," Staff Sgt. Kevin Webb said in the release. "They are not always afforded the level of respect they require and are often used in recreational settings. The general public predominantly relates the dangers of drinking and driving to our roadways. That understanding seems to diminish once they get off road, which creates a challenge for police to investigate.''
