Motorist charged with drug trafficking, impaired driving after landing in a ditch on Hwy. 11

Efforts to reduce impaired driving in the northeast seem to be working in some communities – provincial police say stats are still high.

A 48-year-old is facing multiple charges including assault, drug trafficking and impaired driving offences after a single-vehicle crash on Highway 11 last week.

On March 20 at about 10:45 a.m., Ontario Provincial Police officers responded to a report of a vehicle stuck in the ditch of Highway 11 in Opasatika Township.

“The complainant – the passenger in the vehicle – reported a physical assault by the driver, which led to the collision,” said OPP in a news release.

Upon arriving at the scene and speaking with the driver, police determined that they had consumed “an intoxicating substance.”

“The driver was arrested, and in a search incident to arrest, officers located an open container of liquor, and a large quantity of suspected cocaine,” OPP said.

Authorities estimate the street value of the drugs seized as $25,000.

As a result of the investigation, the driver from Tecumseh was charged with spousal assault, drug trafficking, dangerous operation of a vehicle and driving while prohibited along with four impaired driving-related offences – including operation while impaired with blood drug concentration, driving a vehicle not equipped with an ignition interlock device and driving with open liquor.

In addition to the charges, the accused also had their licence suspended for 90 and the truck involved was also impounded by police for seven days at the owner’s expense.

“Due to the intimate partner nature of the incident, the name of the accused will not be released to protect the victim’s identity,” police said.

“Whether you are impaired by alcohol or drugs, impaired is impaired and driving under the influence of either is a criminal offence.”

The accused was held pending a court appearance on Friday.