THUNDER BAY – NEWS – The arrival of the New Year in 2023 did not result in a decrease in impaired driving incidents in the Thunder Bay area. The Thunder Bay Police Service continued to actively enforce impaired driving laws, leading to several arrests over the New Year’s weekend.
In total, the Thunder Bay Police Service laid impaired driving-related charges against seven drivers during this period. Of these seven individuals, six were charged with impaired operation and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 80 milligrams, while one faced charges of impaired operation and failure to comply with a demand.
Two notable incidents occurred on New Year’s Eve, prompting police action:
TB23053033 – Collision Leads to Impaired Driving Charges
On Sunday, December 31, 2023, just before 4:30 p.m., Thunder Bay Police Service officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Memorial Avenue following reports of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Memorial Avenue and Central Avenue.
Upon arriving at the scene, the officers observed signs indicating that the driver of one of the vehicles was impaired by alcohol. Subsequently, a 77-year-old man was arrested and transported to the Balmoral Street station for further testing. The testing revealed that he had a blood alcohol concentration approximately 2.5 times the legal limit.
The driver now faces charges of impaired operation and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 80 milligrams.
TB23053070 – Prohibited Driver Arrested for Impaired Driving Again
Later, around half an hour before midnight on Sunday, December 31, 2023, a Thunder Bay Police Service officer pulled over a vehicle for a red light violation on Cumberland Street South at Pearl Street.
The officer observed signs suggesting that the driver was impaired by alcohol. Subsequently, the driver was arrested and taken to the Balmoral Street station for further testing. However, at the station, the driver refused to provide a breath sample.
The 32-year-old man now faces multiple charges, including impaired operation, prohibited operation of a vehicle, and failure to comply with a demand. Notably, he had previously been under a driving prohibition due to a previous impaired conviction and was also a suspended driver.
These incidents serve as a reminder of the ongoing efforts by the Thunder Bay Police Service to ensure road safety by addressing impaired driving, particularly during holiday periods.
