Thunder Bay Police Service officers dedicated to conducting Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) checks over the weekend were kept busy by numerous impaired drivers.
Just before midnight on Thursday, December 12th, officers found a 40-year old male at their checkpoint who was driving while under suspension. The investigating officer also found the driver to be impaired by drug, and breaching two separate probation orders. The male was brought to the station where he performed a drug recognition evaluation with a certified Drug Recognition Expert. The male was subsequently charged with a number of criminal and provincial offences, including Impaired Operation by Drug.
At 2:30 am on Friday, December 13th, officers were moving from one checkpoint to the next when they found a southbound vehicle on Memorial Avenue driving erratically. The vehicle pulled into a parking lot where officers conducted a traffic stop, finding the 33-year old female to be impaired by alcohol. She was transported to the Thunder Bay Police Station where she provided breath samples in excess of the legal limit. She was charged with Impaired Operation and Exceeding the Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit.
After midnight on Saturday, December 14th, officers had set up a checkpoint on Memorial Avenue at Tenth Avenue when a northbound pickup truck approached one of the officers. The officer could detect the odour of alcohol on the driver's breath and demanded that he submit to a roadside screening test. The driver failed that test and was arrested and transported to the police station for further testing. The 26-year old driver was subsequently charged with Impaired Operation, Exceeding the Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit, and Driving with Cannabis Readily Available.
At 1:05 am, officers were screening drivers at Red River Road and Cumberland Street when a 22-year old driver was stopped and tested for the presence of alcohol. The driver failed the test and was arrested. He provided samples above the legal limit, and was charged with both Impaired Operation and Exceeding the Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit.
At 2:39 am, officers were stationed at Algoma Street South when a vehicle approached their checkpoint. The odour of alcohol was detected on the driver's breath and he was further screened for the presence of alcohol. The driver was issued a three-day driver's licence suspension for providing a sample in the warn-range. The male was also found to be driving while under suspension, breaching his provincial probation order for driving while under suspension, and was subject to a 90-day committal warrant for driving while under suspension.
At 11:30 pm, officers were at a south-side intersection when a 33-year old male was arrested for Impaired Operation and Exceeding the Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit. He was re-arrested on his outstanding charge of Impaired Operation from a 2018 incident that is still before the courts. He was held in custody until the following morning for video court.
At 12:43 am on Sunday, December 15th, a RIDE officer was travelling on Court Street South when he observed a vehicle blatantly perform a U-turn to avoid detection by the officer. The officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, however, the driver failed to stop and fled southbound. No pursuit was attempted due to public safety concerns. Minutes later, the vehicle and driver were found at a nearby residence, and the driver was arrested. The 24-year old male is charged with Dangerous Operation, Flight From Police, Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Insurance, and Driving While Under Suspension,
Just before 3:00 am, officers were patrolling the downtown north-core when they observed a pickup truck being driven erratically. The officers conducted a traffic stop on Park Avenue where they found the 20-year old male driver to be impaired. He was arrested and transported to the Thunder Bay Police Station for further testing. He was charged with Impaired Operation, Exceeding the Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit, and Driving While Under Suspension.
In addition to these cases, officers issued 2 other licence suspensions for warn-range offences, charged two unlicensed drivers, two suspended drivers, and two drivers without insurance, all over the course of this weekend alone.
The Thunder Bay Police Service would like to thank all those that have opted for safe alternatives to driving after drinking this holiday season. The Service would also like to remind those who insist on drinking and driving that the RIDE checks will continue and that there is zero tolerance for impaired driving.