The Grand Forks RCMP detachment reports a busy weekend removing impaired drivers from the roads.
In a media release, the detachment says the eventful weekend started Friday, Feb. 9, around midnight when officers noted a truck speeding on Central Avenue near 5th Street, only ‘slamming’ on the brakes for a red light at the last second.
The vehicle was stopped, and the driver, a 39-year-old man from Alberta, showed numerous signs of impairment. After failing a roadside breathalyzer, the driver was issued a 90-day driving prohibition and had his vehicle impounded for 30 days.
Less than 2 hours later, at just before 2 a.m. on Feb. 10, another vehicle was stopped on Central Avenue near Boundary Road.
The driver, a 21-year-old man from Vernon, was given a roadside breath test and received a warning reading, meaning his alcohol level was somewhere between 50-99 milligrams, with the legal limit being 80 milligrams.
As a result, the driver was given a three-day driving suspension and had his vehicle impounded for three days. On top of that, the driver was issued violation tickets for failing to display his ‘N’ sign and driving contrary to his restrictions (no alcohol).
The following evening on Sunday, an officer stopped a vehicle on Central Avenue near 3rd Street at around 9:15 p.m. When the officer detected a strong odour of cannabis, it was suspected that the driver, a 34-year-old man from Grand Forks, might be driving under the influence of drugs.
The officer requested a second officer, trained in a roadside technique called Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, to which the driver performed poorly and was issued a 24-hour driving prohibition.
This resulted in officers elevating their investigation by bringing in a drug recognition expert with the BC Highway Patrol, which led to the suspicion that the driver was impaired via cannabis.
The driver was ordered to provide blood samples for further analysis by the RCMP forensic labs; the pending results will determine if the driver will be issued an impaired driving (by drugs) charge.
“All three of these investigations were by officers just out on patrol who are ensuring our roads are kept safe for everyone,” states Detachment Commander, Sergeant Darryl Peppler.
“While we know that the RCMP and many other agencies are getting the word out on the dangers of driving while impaired, we know there is still much work to do, and we are definitely committed to doing so.”