Impaired drivers in northeastern Ontario keep police busy during the first weekend of 2025

Efforts to reduce impaired driving in the north Efforts to reduce impaired driving in the northeast seem to be working in some communities – provincial police say stats are still high.

A series of impaired driving incidents in northern Ontario last weekend kept Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) busy.

On Jan. 4 at about 1:30 a.m., members of the Manitoulin OPP detachment stopped a vehicle at a RIDE check on Highway 6 at Old Webbwood Road in the Baldwin Township.

“Police determined that the driver had consumed an intoxicating substance,” the OPP said in a news release.

“An arrest was made and the driver was transported to the Espanola detachment for further testing.”

Officers subsequently searched the vehicle and seized an estimated $7,250 in suspected drugs and $3,500 in cash.

“(The) search of the vehicle resulted in police seizing approximately one gram of suspected methamphetamine… approximately one gram of suspected crack cocaine … (and) approximately 70g of suspected cocaine.”

As a result, the driver, a 58-year-old from the Greater Sudbury community of Levak, was charged with impaired driving, obstructing a peace officer, possession of property obtained by crime, failing to wear a seat belt, operating an unsafe vehicle, operating a vehicle with an obstructed plate along with three drug possession charges.

Saturday evening at approximately 8:15 p.m., officers with the James Bay OPP detachment stopped a vehicle on King Street in Mattice after observing it travelling with no lights.

“During the interaction with the driver, officers determined the driver had consumed an intoxicating substance,” said police.

“The driver was arrested and transported to the Kapuskasing OPP detachment for further testing.”

As a result of the incident, the 18-year-old male driver now faces two impaired driving charges.

A short time later, at about 9 p.m., members of the Manitoulin OPP detachment responded to a traffic complaint about a potential impaired driver on Clover Valley Road in Assiginack Township.

“Police located the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop,” the OPP said.

“The driver was arrested for impaired operation and transported to the Little Current detachment for further testing.”

As a result of the complaint and ensuing traffic stop, the driver, a 55-year-old man from Wikwemikong has been charged with two impaired driving offences.

Early the next morning on Jan. 5 at roughly 1:30 a.m., James Bay OPP stopped a vehicle on Stewart Avenue in Kapuskasing after observing it travelling at a high rate of speed.

“Officers determined the driver had consumed an intoxicating substance,” said police.

“The driver was arrested and transported to the Kapuskasing OPP detachment for further testing.”

As a result of the investigation, a 32-year-old local man faces two impaired driving charges.

Later Sunday morning at about 11 a.m., Manitoulin OPP responded to a motor vehicle crash on Highway 17 in the Town of Walden.

“A person was rear-ended by a sport utility vehicle (SUV,)” said police.

“No injuries were sustained.”

Officers determined after speaking with the driver of the SUV that she had consumed an “intoxicating substance.” The 25-year-old woman from Markstay was subsequently arrested at the scene and transported to the Espanola detachment for testing.

The SUV driver was charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle and two counts of driving while under suspension in addition to an impaired driving charge.

In addition to charges

In addition to the charges, the five northern Ontario 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.

All of the accused are scheduled to appear in Ontario courtrooms over the next two months to answer the charges.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

“The OPP has highly trained drug recognition evaluator officers who are skilled in the detection and investigation of drug-impaired drivers,” said police.

During the six weeks between Nov. 21, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, OPP in the northeast region issued 139 impaired driving charges.

“Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is dangerous and illegal,” said OPP Const. Kyler Brouwer, in a social media post related to some of the charges.

“Our officers are committed to keeping our roads safe for everyone.”

Make the call

“The OPP wants to remind the public that if you suspect an impaired driver on our roads, waterways or trails, don’t hesitate to ‘Make the Call’ and dial 911,” said police.

“Your phone call could save someone’s life.”