Sault OPP arrest two for impaired driving on 4th of July

Two Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., residents are facing impaired driving charges in two separate incidents on the 4th of July.

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Starting early

Shortly after 9 a.m., members of the Sault Ste. Marie detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to cars of a car in a ditch on Highway 17B between Anishinawbe Point Road and Church Street in McDonald-Meredith-Aberdeen Additional Township.

"(It was) determined the car was eastbound on Highway 17B, veered off the roadway onto the right shoulder, overcorrected and crossed both lanes entered the bush on the north side of the highway and collided with an embankment," said police in a news release.

As a result of the incident and the resulting investigation, a 29-year-old woman was arrested and charged with impaired driving and failing to surrender the permit for the vehicle involved.

The accused was released and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 12.

Before midnight

Shortly before 11:30 p.m., members of the Sault OPP detachment were patrolling Highway 17 within the Garden River First Nation when they observed a westbound vehicle travelling at high speed on the highway.

Police attempted to stop the vehicle.

"The small car ignored the emergency lights and accelerated towards the City of Sault Ste Marie," said police in a news release.

"At the city limits was another OPP cruiser that was successful in initiating a traffic stop of the suspect car."

The driver was subsequently arrested and transported to Sault Ste. Marie OPP detachment for further testing.

Officers spoke with the driver and determined he had consumed alcohol.

"The driver was subsequently arrested and transported to Sault Ste. Marie OPP detachment for further testing," said police.

As a result of this investigation, the 31-year-old man is facing two impaired driving charges.

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The Batchewana First Nation Police Service assisted the OPP with both incidents and their investigation.

These were the 12th and 13th incidents in which Sault OPP laid impaired driving charges.

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In addition to the charges, the two Sault drivers also had their licenses suspended for 90 days and the vehicles involved were impounded by police for seven days at the owner’s expense.

Both accused were released and are scheduled to appear in court at later dates.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.