Grand Forks RCMP impaired driver crackdown

Grand Forks RCMP had a busy week removing several impaired drivers from the roads.

The first incident occurred on September 24 at 11:20 a.m., when a resident in the area of 78th Avenue near 23rd Street reported a suspicious vehicle in which two females appeared to be doing drugs.

Upon arrival, police found a 52-year-old woman from Greenwood sitting in the driver’s seat. She was subsequently issued a 24-hour driving prohibition, and her vehicle was towed.

However, six days later, on September 30, she was found once again sitting in the driver’s seat of her vehicle, this time at the Boundary Regional Hospital. Evidence of recent drug consumption was discovered, and again, a 24-hour driving prohibition was issued, and her vehicle was towed away.

Then, on September 26, police were called to investigate two more impaired driving incidents.

The first was at 3:35 p.m., when a concerned citizen reported an erratic driver weaving all over the road and crossing the centre line.

An officer located the vehicle near 75th Avenue and 2nd Street in Grand Forks. The driver, a 40-year-old man from Kelowna, was suspected of being under the influence of drugs.

A second officer, trained in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, was brought in and confirmed the suspicion. The driver was then transported to a local hospital, where samples of his blood were collected to further the investigation.

Later that day, at 11:45 p.m., police responded to an accident on Highway 3 at Highway 395, where a car struck a utility pole.

The driver, a 67-year-old man from Christina Lake, showed symptoms of alcohol impairment.

Due to some minor injuries sustained, the officer elected to proceed by way of a Blood Demand, where samples of his blood were taken and will be sent to forensic labs for testing.

“It still amazes me that people will risk so much by driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs,” states Grand Forks Detachment Commander Sergeant Darryl Peppler.

“You risk facing criminal charges and losing your driver’s licence, which can impact so much—from your employment to taking care of your family—not to mention hurting or killing yourself or an innocent bystander.”

These series of investigations follow the news that a local officer, Constable Matthew Hemelspeck, has received, for the second year in a row, the Alexa Team Award.

This award recognizes police officers who remove a high number of impaired drivers from British Columbia’s roadways.