Grand Forks RCMP officers removed what they call an “astounding” number of impaired drivers from the roads this weekend.
From November 22 to 24, five impaired drivers were caught by police, most of whom fit the 24-to-30 age demographic, which Detachment Commander Sgt. Darryl Peppler says is shocking.
“I was kind of shocked to see that it was ages between 24 and 30 in that period. However, we do see a wide range of ages. When it comes to that demographic, I think overall people get the risks. It’s just a small sample of that, that of course, you know, is making it look bad for that age group.”
The first incident occurred on November 22 and began with a routine traffic stop at 66th Avenue and 14th Street.
The driver, a 29-year-old man from Grand Forks, told police he had not been drinking and was coming from work. However, when officers administered a roadside breath test, it resulted in a Fail reading, and then a Warn on the second test.
A Fail, according to a press release, means a blood alcohol level of at least 100 mg%, while a Warn indicates a level between 60 mg% and 99 mg%.
Officers proceeded with the lower reading and issued the driver a three-day driving prohibition, also impounding his vehicle.
The second incident occurred on November 23, when officers stopped a vehicle driving with its taillights off at Central Avenue and 19th Street.
The driver, a 29-year-old man from Grand Forks, also told police he had not been drinking, but a roadside breath test showed otherwise.
The man provided two Fail samples and was issued a 90-day driving prohibition, with his vehicle impounded for 30 days.
Later that night, police stopped another vehicle at 68th Avenue and 19th Street. The driver, a 25-year-old woman from Grand Forks, told police she had one glass of wine an hour before driving.
A breath test resulted in two Fail readings, and she was handed a 90-day driving prohibition, while her vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
In the early morning of November 24, two more impaired drivers were removed from the roads.
A 30-year-old Grand Forks man was issued a 90-day driving prohibition, with his vehicle impounded for 90 days. A 24-year-old man, who was a repeat offender, was criminally charged with impaired driving.
“Stop making these bad choices. It astounds me that so many people are still making these bad and potentially dangerous decisions to drive while impaired. This is a small town—you don’t need to walk too far, or you’ll find another way to get home,” said Peppler.
He says it is not uncommon for the detachment to see an uptick in impaired drivers during the holidays, which is why it will be bringing in additional resources and scheduling dedicated shifts for officers to focus on preventing and removing impaired drivers from the roads.
“During the holidays, more people are having Christmas parties and get-togethers, and alcohol is, of course, involved in that. Traditionally, police have always had what we call counter-attack campaigns, where we go out and focus on impaired drivers first to prevent it and, if necessary, to remove them,” he said.
“By drinking and driving, you put yourself at risk, you put the public at risk, and when you lose your licence for 90 days and your vehicle for 30, the reality is you’ll lose your licence for much longer than 90 days by the time it takes to get it back. That impacts your livelihood. Make better choices, is all I have to say.”
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