Driver strikes police cruiser, faces impaired charges

Greater Sudbury Police Service have released the details of impaired driving-related charges laid against five drivers between March 7 and March 15.

During a March 7 stop, police say a 39-year-old driver refused to provide breath sample, after being stopped by police for driving on the wrong side of the road on Beech Street. The officer detected the odor of alcohol coming from the man's breath. He was charged with several offences under the highway traffic act, including refusing to submit to testing.

The same day, a 24-year-old man was charged with impaired driving and having over 80 milligrams of alcohol in blood after officers came upon a motor vehicle collision on Panache Lake Road. The smell of alcohol was detected on the man's breath, police allege. The driver failed a roadside test, was brought to police headquarters for further breath tests and was found to have two times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.

On the March 8, a 31-year-old woman was charged with impaired driving and having over 80 milligrams of alcohol in her blood. Officers were called to a Louis Street address about an unwanted person complaint. As officers arrived, the unwanted person — the 31-year-old later charged — tried to reverse her vehicle to leave the parking lot, but struck a police cruiser, the GSPS reports.

Officers detected the odor of alcohol coming from her breath and noted other signs of impairment. She was arrested for impaired driving and brought to police headquarters for testing. Breath tests revealed she had double the legal limit of alcohol in her blood, police say.

On March 15, a 52-year-old man was charged with having over 80 milligrams of alcohol in his blood after GSPS officers stopped his vehicle for travelling the wrong way on Durham Street, GSPS alleges.

Stopped by police, the driver failed a roadside test and was arrested.

At the police station, he provided samples of his breath into the intoxilyzer and confirmed he had over 80 milligrams of alcohol in his blood, police report.

Also on March 15, a 44-year-old man was charged with impaired driving and having over 80 milligrams of alcohol in his blood. Witness called police to report the driver had struck the centre median on Falconbridge Road.

After failing a roadside test and exhibiting signs of drunkenness, the man was arrested for impaired driving. Further tests at the police station confirmed he had over 80 milligrams of alcohol in his blood, police say.

All drivers involved with alcohol-related offences of having over 80 milligrams or refusing a breath test have their drivers licence suspended for 90 days and vehicle impounded for seven days.