A police officer who participated in Thursday’s Festive RIDE was off-duty and returning home when he spotted an additional impaired driver.
The off-duty Thunder Bay Police Service officer was travelling westbound on John Street just after 2 a.m. when he observed a vehicle driving erratically. The officer contacted dispatchers to inform them of the suspected impaired driver.
The officer continued to follow the motorist until the driver arrived at a parking lot in the zero-to-100 block of Junot Avenue. There the officer observed the motorist struggling to back into a parking spot.
At this point the off-duty officer made contact with the motorist and identified himself as being with the Thunder Bay Police Service.
The motorist became upset, but eventually informed the off-duty officer that he did have the right to detain her. An on-duty officer arrived at the scene and completed the arrest without incident.
The accused was transported to the TBPS headquarters for further evaluation. Samples of the motorist’s breath confirmed she had a Blood Alcohol Concentration above the legal limit.
A 30-year-old Thunder Bay woman is charged with Operation of a Motor Vehicle While Impaired and Operation of a Motor Vehicle While Impaired Blood Alcohol Concentration.
She has since been released with a future court appearance date.
Please note the names of accused individuals are only released by the Thunder Bay Police Service after charges are formally sworn before the courts. Please note the names of all people charged criminally for impaired driving are published on a weekly basis every Monday afternoon at www.thunderbaypolice.ca/news.