Surge in impaired driving has police in Timmins concerned

Impaired driving appears to be on the rise Impaired drivers continue to keep the James Bay OPP detachments–they issued more than 38 charges related to impairment incidents last month.

It has been a bad month for impaired driving offences, police in Timmins said Tuesday.

In recent cases, impaired drivers have been seen driving through red lights and crashing into vehicles in a mall parking lot.

“The Timmins Police Service has recently charged five people with impaired driving-related offences stemming from five separate incidents,” police said in a news release.

In a July 17 incident, police watched a car “proceed through intersections controlled by traffic signal lights without stopping as legally required.”

“A traffic stop was initiated and the Timmins Police officer made observations regarding obvious signs of impairment displayed by the driver,” police said.

A 35-year-old from Timmins has been charged.

In an Aug. 7 incident at the Porcupine Mall parking lot, a caller told police that a vehicle was setting off a series of minor collisions in the mall parking lot.

That suspect was arrested and a quantity of a controlled substance was found as he was taken into custody.

Police said the incidents are alarming as impaired driving is becoming too frequent an occurrence.

“The Timmins Police Service is reminding all motorists that roadway safety is a top priority and any incidents of suspected impaired driving reported to the police will be investigated thoroughly,” police said.