Impaired Boaters Charged

(COLLINGWOOD, ON) Officers from the Collingwood and The Blue Mountains detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) charged two boaters with impaired related offences after being dispatched to the Collingwood Harbour yesterday evening.

On the 16th of August 2015 shortly after 6:00pm, officers were called to attend the Collingwood harbour boat launch for a report of a boat that had crashed into a barrier wall near the Collingwood grain elevator and was now ‘beached’ on the boat launch on Heritage Drive.

Officers attended and determined that the boat had two occupants on board and that shortly after the boat crashed into the wall, the two occupants switched operators where the new operator decided to beach the boat on the launch as it was taking on water due to damage to the vessel as a result of the crash. Police investigation found that the two males were under the influence of alcohol and were both arrested at scene and transported to Collingwood detachment for processing.

Charged are 59 year-old Robert CALDER of Clearview Township, he is charged with Criminal Code charges of driving a vessel while ability impaired by alcohol cause bodily harm, care or control over 80 milligrams and dangerous operation of a vessel cause bodily harm. As well he is facing a charge under the Canada Shipping Act of operating a vessel in an unsafe manner.

Also charged is 56 year-old Colin MCCREA of Collingwood, he is facing a Criminal Code charge of operate a vessel while ability impaired by alcohol, Canada Shipping Act charges of operating non-human-powered pleasure craft without prescribed visual signals on board and operating non-human-powered pleasure craft without prescribed vessel safety equipment on board. As well he is facing a charge under the Liquor License Act of having liquor in open container in other than licenced premises, residence or private place, this last charge relates to the investigation finding open alcohol in the vessel.

Both males are to appear in Collingwood court on the 8th of September 2015. One male suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash and was taken to hospital and later released.

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