Prince Edward OPP reports – 2026
Fail to remain collision leads to charges of impaired driving
An individual has been charged following a fail to remain collision on County Road 5 in Prince Edward County.
On Thursday, Jan. 22 shortly before 9 p.m., officers with the Prince Edward OPP responded to a fail to remain motor vehicle collision on County Road 5.
Witnesses reported a passenger vehicle struck multiple snowbanks before colliding with an unoccupied vehicle. The passenger vehicle then left the scene.
Officers located the driver nearby and utilized a roadside alcohol screening device on the individual. As a result, the individual was arrested and transported to the detachment for further testing.
A 72-year-old from Demorestville, has been charged with:
Operation while impaired – alcohol
Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)
Fail to remain
Fail to report
The accused was released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Picton on March 4. The individual’s driver’s licence has been suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle was impounded for seven days.
Impaired driving remains a concern in Prince Edward County; note new penalties may apply
Despite the recent conclusion of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Festive Ride campaign, impaired driving continues to pose a serious risk in Prince Edward County.
The province-wide initiative, which ran from Nov. 20, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026, resulted in more than 700 impaired driving arrests across Ontario, including 150 drivers charged in the East Region.
Despite the efforts, since Jan. 1, officers from the OPP Prince Edward County Detachment have charged two additional drivers with impaired driving.
On Saturday, Jan. 10 shortly before 10 p.m., officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision. Officers located the motorist, and the individual was arrested and transported to the detachment for testing.
A 40-year-old from Hillier, was charged with Operation while impaired – alcohol and Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)
On Wednesday, Jan. 14 shortly after 8 p.m., officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision. The individual was arrested and transported to the detachment for testing.
A 19-year-old from Lindsay, was charged with Operation while impaired – alcohol and Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus); Novice Driver – blood alcohol concentration above zero
Both accused were released from custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Picton at a later date.
The OPP reminds motorists that new impaired driving penalties took effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Drivers in Ontario caught operating a vehicle while impaired will face tougher penalties that no longer need the determination of a judge.
The province changed the Highway Traffic Act effective Jan. 1 to include a lifetime licence suspension for impaired driving causing death. First-time offenders caught under the influence will lose their licence for seven days, up from the current three-day suspension.
For more information on impaired driving laws and penalties, visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/impaired-driving
