Former Woodstock mayor pleads guilty in impaired driving collision

Embattled former Woodstock mayor Trevor Birtch plead guilty to impaired driving after a two-vehicle crash in Zorra Township. Nick Paparella has the details.

As he left the Oxford County Courthouse in Woodstock the city’s former mayor Trevor Birtch had to be picked up, after his driver’s license was suspended.

Just minutes prior he plead guilty to blowing over 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milligrams of blood.

In fact, Crown Attorney Artem Orlov told the court that Birtch had more than twice the legal limit - with police readings of 174 and 175.

The charge stems from a crash in Zorra Township on October 30, 2023 when Birtch’s vehicle collided with a Jeep causing minor injuries to the other driver.

The Crown said that when police officers came upon the scene and saw Birtch, “His eyes appeared blood shot and there was slurred speech.”

Orlov said in Birtch’s car, “There was a container containing suspected beer and the splatter of suspected beer was detected throughout the interior of the vehicle.”

Guilty of the one count of blowing over the legal limit, two charges including impaired driving and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle were dropped by the Crown.

When asked if he had anything to say to the court Birtch was remorseful adding, “I regret this incident your honour.”

Justice Christopher Uwagboe then handed the unemployed Birtch a 90 day conditional sentence along with a 12 month driving suspension, and 12 months probation.

The embattled former mayor has had a string of legal woes as of late. Birtch had two sexual assault trials in London involving two separate women. A mistrial was declared in the first case and he was found guilty in the second.

In that matter he is expected to be sentenced in May.