(NORTH BAY, ON) – In the past week North Bay Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has charged one person for impaired driving by alcohol and another person for impaired driving by drugs. The North Bay OPP has increased its Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) programs and is doing them at all hours of the day and all days of the week.
Some people think that if you drink during the night and go “sleep it off”, you are fine to drive when you wake up. This is not always the case, as it depends when your last drink was and how much you drank throughout the day/night. This has to be taken into consideration before you put yourself behind the wheel.
The OPP would like to see no incidents involving impaired driving over the holidays. Please take the time to plan ahead if you decide to drink. If you do end up drinking, give your keys to a friend, host or someone you know so you are not tempted to drive.
On December 5, 2015, at approximately 12:30 a.m., a vehicle was stopped for a traffic infraction on Highway 654, Nipissing Township.
After further investigation, the driver of the vehicle was arrested and charged.
Jessi MILLS, age 22, of North Bay, Ontario, was charged with Driving While Ability Impaired – Motor Vehicle (Drug), contrary to section 253(1)(a) of the Criminal Code (CC). The accused was released from police custody and is to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in North Bay, Ontario, on December 22, 2015.
On December 9, 2015, at approximately 4:30 p.m., officers from the Powassan OPP were conducting RIDE checks at the junction of Highways 654 and 534, Nipissing Township. While speaking to the driver of a stopped vehicle, they noticed that the vehicle licence plate had expired. Upon further investigation, they also determined that the driver’s licence was expired and the driver was drinking and driving.
Mark MICHENKO, age 51, of North Bay, Ontario, was charged with:
Driving with More than 80 mgs. of Alcohol in Blood, contrary to section 253(1)(b) of the Criminal Code (CC)
Operate a Motor Vehicle Without Insurance, contrary to section 2(1)(a) of the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act (CAIA)
Drive Motor Vehicle, No Currently Validated Permit, contrary to section 7(1)(a) of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA)
Drive Motor Vehicle – No Licence, contrary to section 32(1) of the HTA.
The accused was released from police custody and is to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in North Bay, Ontario, on December 22, 2015.