Northern Ont. crash leads to impaired driving, assault, drug trafficking charges

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

A single-vehicle crash Thursday evening south of Mishkeegogamang First Nation led to several charges, including trafficking, impaired driving and assaulting an officer.

The incident took place Jan. 16 shortly after 5 p.m. on Highway 599, the Pickle Lake Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment said in a news release.

“Through the investigation, it was determined that the driver had been consuming alcohol, and an approved screening device (ASD) test was administered,” the release said.

“The driver failed the test and was arrested and transported to the Pickle Lake Detachment where additional breath testing was completed.”

A search of the vehicle was subsequently conducted and officers located a large quantity of suspected methamphetamines.

As a result of the incident and ensuing investigation, the driver, a 26-year-old man from Dryden, Ont., was charged with drug trafficking, resisting a peace officer, assaulting a peace officer and failure to comply with a release order in addition to two impaired driving charges.

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

The accused was held pending a bail hearing on Friday.

“OPP remain committed to taking alcohol/drug-impaired drivers off our roads through enforcement and public education,” said police.

“If you suspect that someone is driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, it is important to call 911 to report it.”