(LACLOCHE ISLAND, ON) – On Sunday October 4, 2015 at around 10:30 pm the Manitoulin Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received two separate reports of an erratic driver southbound on Highway 6, south of Whitefish Falls. The description of the vehicle was given by concerned citizens along with the licence plate number.
Officers responded and a short time later the same vehicle was observed southbound on Highway 6 on Lacloche Island. A red Honda Civic was stopped and the driver was checked and exhibited signs of impairment. A female passenger was checked and a quantity of a controlled substance (Cocaine) was seized.
As a result of the officer’s investigation, the following people were arrested and charged.
The driver Marc GAGNON, 56 years of age from Sudbury, Ontario was charged with the following:
1. Care or Control while ability Impaired by Drug – contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada (CC).
The passenger Melanie MAKENSON, 31 years of age of Sudbury, Ontario was charged with the following:
Possession of a Schedule I Substance (Cocaine), contrary to the Controlled Drug and Substance Act.
Both accused were released on a Promise to Appear and will appear before the Ontario Court of Justice on Monday November 30, 2015 in Gore Bay to answer to their charges.
Operation Lookout is a traffic safety program, which encourages motorists to call and report an aggressive or impaired driver to the OPP by dialing OPP (677) or 911on their cell phones. Since this program was introduced in the year 2000 the OPP have been able to identify and remove impaired drivers from our highways with the help the motoring public. S/Sgt. Kevin Webb Detachment Commander states “Unfortunately OPP officers can’t be everywhere at once, but with the implementation of Operation Lookout on Manitoulin, we have thousands of eyes watching and reporting aggressive and impaired drivers, helping the police to respond quickly and remove the threat from our highways, making travel safer.”