Increase in impaired charges in the County

Three months into 2019 there has been a 33 per cent increase over last year’s number of impaired charges handed out in Prince Edward County.

“This is not related to the legalization of cannabis, with all eight impaired occurrences being alcohol related,” said Cst. Patrick Menard, Community Safety Officer.

The latest incident, he said, occurred last Thursday around 6:30 pm, when a Prince Edward OPP officer stopped a vehicle on Main St., Bloomfield travelling at a high rate of speed.

“On speaking with the driver, an odour of an alcoholic beverage was detected. A sample of breath was taken and a reading of ‘Fail’ was registered on the roadside screening device.”

A 35-year-old male with a Wellington address was arrested and charged with operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol and drugs, operation while impaired with a blood alcohol concentration over 80, and a Highway Traffic Act and Liquor Licence Act offence violation. He is to answer to the charges April 10 at the Picton Court House.

“The OPP remains committed to ensuring Ontario roads are safe from alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired drivers,” said Menard. “With impaired driving remaining the leading cause of criminal death in Canada, the OPP is reminding drivers that no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe when driving.”