(BLUEWATER, ON) – A 48-year-old driver from Grand Bend is facing a number of charges after he was stopped driving on a closed highway this past weekend. At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 13, 2016 a Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer observed a GMC Sierra pickup truck travelling southbound on Bluewater Veteran’s Highway (Highway 21) on a closed roadway. The roadway was closed at the time because of extremely poor visibility from blowing and drifting snow.
The officer was able to get the driver’s attention and he initiated a traffic stop just south of Blue Bluff Road on Highway 21. Upon stopping the driver the officer detected the presence of alcohol on the driver’s breath. A roadside screening test demand was given to the driver and the driver failed to provide a sample.
Further investigation revealed the driver held a suspended driver’s licence and he was also currently bound by court release conditions to abstain from the consumption of alcohol. After failing to provide a sample to the officer the driver was placed under arrest and transported to the Huron OPP detachment for processing.
As a result, Robert PURDY, 48, from Grand Bend was arrested and charged with Fail to Provide a Breath Sample, Fail to Comply with an Undertaking, Fail to Comply with a Recognizance, Drive While Under Suspension and Drive on Closed Highway. He has since been released from custody with a court date scheduled for April 28, 2016 at the Ontario Court of Justice – Exeter. His motor vehicle has been impounded for seven days and his driver’s licence has been suspended for an automatic 90 days.