**TIMMINS POLICE SERVICE NEWS RELEASE**

Senior officials with the Timmins Police Service as well as MADD chapter representatives are aware of a significant rise in the number of calls regarding impaired drivers over the past weekend. This falls on the heels of distressing numbers related to this same type of criminal activity earlier in the months of August.
That said, this weekend’s results are not viewed as encouraging by the Senior Administration of the Timmins Police Service or the local MADD chapter as well.

From Friday August 23rd to Sunday August 25th a total of 6 persons have either been charged with Impaired Driving related offences or had their driver’s licenses suspended stemming from separate and preventable circumstances.
The Timmins Police Service issued a 72 hour driver’s license suspension to a 22 year old Timmins man stemming from an early morning traffic stop on Friday, August 23rd, on Kirby Avenue in Timmins.
Based on the observations made by the officer, a breath sample from the driver was sought and analyzed by means of an Approved Screening Device.

The results of that test resulted in a 72 hour Suspension Notice being issued to the driver
While on patrol of South Porcupine, a Timmins Police Service officer located a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed on Bruce Avenue during the early evening hours of Friday, August 23rd which resulted in a traffic stop being initiated by the officer.
Based on the observations made by the officer and the results of a breath sample analysis by means of an Approved Screening Device, the 28 year old female driver was arrested and taken to the Timmins Police station to complete further breath test.
As a result, the driver has been charged with:
– Operate Motor Vehicle While Impaired contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.
– Operate Motor Vehicle With Concentration Over 80 Mgs contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
The accused was released from police custody but must attend Provincial Court in Timmins on September 10th to answer to the charges laid against her.

Additionally, the Timmins Police Service issued a 72 hour driver’s license suspension to an 18 year old South Porcupine man stemming from an early morning traffic stop on Saturday, August 24th, on Balsam Street in Timmins.
Based on the observations made by the officer, and the outcome of other testing results, the driver had his driver’s license suspended for a period of 72 hours.
In a separate incident, while completing their investigation into a related matter which occurred in South Porcupine during the early morning hours of Saturday, August 24th, a Timmins Police Service officer located a person involved in the occurrence.

Based on the substance of the complaint, and the observations made by the officer, a 48 year old Timmins man was arrested and taken to the Timmins Police station where he was charged with:
– Operate a Motor Vehicle While Prohibited contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
– Operate Motor Vehicle While Impaired contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.
– Fail to Comply with breath Demand contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
The man was held for a bail hearing in which he was released from custody but must attend Provincial Court in Timmins on September 4th to answer to a the charges laid against him.

In a separate incident, while on patrol of the downtown core of Timmins, a Timmins Police Service officer observed a 2018 Dodge Ram proceed through an intersection against a red light during the early morning hours of Sunday, August 23rd which resulted in a traffic stop being initiated by the officer.
Based on the observations made by the officer and the results of a breath sample analysis by means of an Approved Screening Device, the 32 year old female driver from Cochrane was arrested and taken to the Timmins Police station to complete further breath test.
As a result, the driver has been charged with:
– Operate Motor Vehicle While Impaired contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.
– Operate Motor Vehicle With a Concentration Over 80 Mgs contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
The accused was released from police custody but must attend Provincial Court in Timmins on September 10th to answer to the charges laid against her.
The Timmins Police Service issued a 72 hour driver’s license suspension to a 30 year old Timmins man stemming from an early morning traffic stop on Sunday August 25th in a downtown hotel parking lot off of Algonquin Blvd in Timmins.

Based on a complaint received by a concerned citizen, a Timmins Police Service officer attended the area and located the vehicle described in the complaint. The driver was approached and interviewed by the officer.
Based on the observations made by the officer, a breath sample from the driver was sought by means of a Criminal Code demand and a breath sample was analyzed by means of an Approved Screening Device.
The results of that test resulted in a 72 hour Suspension Notice being issued to the driver.
These recent events, coupled with recent statistics of a similar nature, are a cause for concern for the Timmins Police Service.

Timmins Police Service – Traffic Specialist – Const. Troy Larose echoes these concerns by adding “The Timmins Police Service diligently patrols city streets and arteries actively seeking out those persons who opt to take to the wheel after indulging in the consumption of alcohol or other substances that corrupt their ability to operate a motors vehicle safely. Our mandate is to locate these drivers and hold them to account for their behavior that places themselves, other drivers and pedestrians at unnecessary and avoidable risk”

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