Busy with impaired drivers

Grand Forks RCMP say they have been busy taking impaired drivers off the roads lately.

Police said that on Sept. 24 at 11:20 a.m. a resident in the area of 78th Avenue near 23rd Street reported a suspicious vehicle where two females appeared to be doing drugs inside.

An officer attended to find a person sitting in the drivers seat, a 52-year-old woman from Greenwood, who was issued a 24 hour driving prohibition and had her vehicle towed.

RCMP said that the driver, unfortunately, did not learn from the first offence and was later found once again sitting behind the wheel of her vehicle Sept. 30 at 9:40 p.m. at the Boundary Regional Hospital.

RCMP said evidence of recent drug consumption was discovered, and again, a 24 hour driving prohibition was given and her vehicle towed away.

Impaired drivers, times two

Grand Forks RCMP said that on Sept. 26 police investigated two separate impaired driving matters.

The first occurred at 3:35 p.m. when a concerned citizen reported an erratic driver, weaving and crossing the centerline. An officer located the vehicle near 75th Avenue and 2nd Street in Grand Forks to find the 40-year-old man from Kelowna suspected to be under the influence of drugs.

"A second officer, trained in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, was brought in and confirmed the suspicion," the media release said. "The driver was then transported to local hospital where samples of his blood were collected to further the investigation."

Later that same date, at 11:45 p.m., police responded to an accident on Highway 3 at Highway 395 where a car struck a utility pole. The driver, a 67-year-old man from Christina Lake, showed symptoms of alcohol impairment.

RCMP said that due to some minor injuries sustained, the officer elected to proceed by way of a blood demand where samples of his blood were taken and will be sent to forensic labs for testing.

"It still amazes me that people will risk so much by driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs," states Grand Forks Detachment Commander Sgt. Darryl Peppler.

"You risk facing criminal charges and losing your drivers license that can impact so much, from your employment to taking care of your family, not to mention hurting or killing yourself or an innocent bystander."

Sgt. Peppler said that these series of investigations follow news that a local officer, Const. Matthew Hemelspeck has received, for the second year in a row, the Alexa Team Award.

This award recognizes officers who remove a high amount of impaired drivers from B.C.'s roadways.