Staff
From January 1, 2019 to April 11, 2019 members of Grey County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Bruce Peninsula OPP have charged 34 drivers with impaired driving offences. In 2018, with the same time frame, officers charged 23 drivers with the same offences. That is a 50 percent increase over the previous year.
Over the last week, officers charged three drivers for impaired driving offences.
On April 6, at 2:28 a.m., officers stopped a vehicle and arrested and charged the 21-year-old male driverof South Bruce Peninsula with operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol and operation motor vehicle with blood/alcohol concentration over 80 milligrams.
On April 7, officers were conducting a Reducing Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) program at 6 & 21 Hwy east of Springmount. At 2:39 a.m., a vehicle was stopped and the driver was subsequently arrested and charged with an impaired driving offence. A 22-year-old male, of Georgian Bluffs, has been charged with operation motor vehicle with blood/alcohol concentration over 80 milligrams.
The latest occurrence of impaired driving offences occurred April 10, at 10:53 p.m. Officers were called to a motor vehicle collision involving injuries at Alvanley roundabout at Highway 21 and Grey Road 10, South Bruce Peninsula.
The driver of the pick-up truck, a 28-year-old male of Georgian Bluffs was arrested and charged with operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, operation motor vehicle with blood/alcohol concentration over 80 milligrams and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
All accused have upcoming court dates at Ontario Court of Justice in Owen Sound.
“The increase of impaired driving offences is concerning and troubling. The responsibility that a driver has when operating a motor vehicle on Ontario highways is significant. The Ontario Provincial Police are committed to safety on the highways and our pursuit of those who choose to jeopardize that safety is unwavering. We will continue to actively educate the public as a whole on the life-changing consequences of impaired driving and we will enforce the full measure of the law on those who choose that path,” said Inspector Martin Murray, Grey County Detachment.
