Sault police say man who struck parked car, then a cement garden, was found asleep at the wheel

The discussion at the city council table about safety in downtown Sault Ste. Marie has some city officials talking about relocating the Sault Police Service to the downtown core. (Mike McDonald/CTV News)

News -

A 29-year-old man from Sault Ste. Marie has been charged with driving while impaired by drugs and alcohol following two incidents Monday.

The charges stem from two incidents Monday morning, the Sault Police Service said in a news release Tuesday.

Police were called at 9:20 a.m. officers regarding a single-vehicle collision in the area of Huron Street and Cathcart Street.

"Upon arrival officers observed a pickup truck which had struck a cement garden," police said. "Officers located the accused unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck with the engine still running. Officers attempted to wake the accused but he was unresponsive."

Police saw drug paraphernalia in the vehicle and developed grounds to believe the suspect was impaired. Officers administered naloxone and he was taken to hospital.

"Further investigation revealed, while travelling eastbound on Cathcart Street, the accused struck a vehicle parked in a driveway in the 400 block of Cathcart Street," the release said.

"Following the collision, the accused fled the area, later striking the cement garden at the corner of Huron Street and Cathcart Street. The investigation also revealed the accused is a suspended driver."

After being treated at hospital, the accused was arrested. He is charged with impaired driving (alcohol and drugs), dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop after an accident and failing to comply with an undertaking by occupying the driver seat of a motor vehicle.

He was held for bail court. None of the allegations has been proven in court.