A retired police officer is being credited with helping remove an alleged impaired driver from the road after a dangerous driving incident in Barrie over the Thanksgiving Day weekend.
Barrie Police say the incident happened shortly after 9 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11, when the retired officer was travelling eastbound on Highway 90 toward Barrie and noticed a vehicle being driven erratically.
Police say the vehicle travelled at inconsistent speeds and could not stay in its lane. At one point, the driver allegedly crossed two lanes of traffic, forcing oncoming motorists to pull off the roadway to avoid a collision.
The retired officer followed the vehicle until it reached the intersection of Tiffin Street and Dunlop Street West. There, he was able to get the vehicle off the road and remove the keys from the driver before police arrived.
When officers reached the scene, they detected the smell of alcohol on the driver's breath and observed glossy eyes. The driver was arrested and taken to Barrie Police Headquarters, where a qualified breath technician conducted further testing.
Police say the results confirmed the driver was over the legal alcohol limit.
A 34-year-old Barrie man has been charged with impaired operation and operation while impaired with a blood-alcohol concentration over 80 milligrams. His driver's licence was suspended and the vehicle was impounded under provisions of Ontario's Highway Traffic Act.
Barrie Police praised the outcome of the incident but reminded residents not to put themselves in danger when they suspect someone is driving impaired.
"The retired officer’s actions helped to safely get an impaired driver off the road; however, we never encourage members of the public to intervene in these situations," police said in a release.
Anyone who suspects impaired driving to call 911 when it is safe to do so.
