A Barrie man says he has no issue with police who showed up at his door to administer a breathalyzer test in response to a traffic complaint they were following up on from the Ontario Provincial Police.
20-year-old Micah Colbert says he had been driving on Highway 400 and believes someone called in to claim he was swerving in and out of lanes.
Colbert told Barrie 360 that is not the way he drives.
He was surprised to find a police officer at the front door of his house when his mother told him to get downstairs.
When the officer explained why he was there, Colbert told him he had not had anything to drink that day.
"So, he goes 'okay', but he would like to administer a breathalyzer test to make sure everything is okay," Colbert told Barrie 360.
The young man blew into the device and it recorded zero.
His mindset, says Colbert, was to film everything, and that's what he did, and added that he thought it would be a great video.
Watch the full video here
@micahcolbertt Enjoy thos video of me almost getting arrested #police #dui #impairment #driving #cops #breathalyzer #fyp ♬ original sound - Micah Colbert
As for the actions of police, no problem with that says Colbert.
"Everything was completely fine. They are just doing their job and making sure everybody is safe, and that's okay."
Barrie police confirmed to Barrie 360 they were at Colbert's home around 7 p.m. on Saturday.
"Traffic and road safety is a priority of the Barrie Police Service and when a report of impaired driving is received, it is taken very seriously. Our investigations utilize various investigative techniques which can include attending a residence for the necessary follow-up," communications spokesperson Peter Leon said in a statement to Barrie 360.
Across the country, as of 2018, police can demand a breath test up to two hours after a person has been driving.
Refusal or failure to comply with a breath demand is treated as a criminal offence and a person could face penalties that include:
- a mandatory minimum one-year driving prohibition/suspension for a first-time offender
- a mandatory minimum $2,000 fine
- three-year driving prohibition
Colbert says he still is unsure of a few things regarding the incident.
"The thing I am worried about is how would you know it was even me driving my vehicle. How would you even know if I drank alcohol after I got back home?"
Colbert says he got a message on Instagram from a person who claimed to be the individual who called the OPP in the first place.
He tells Barrie 360 the person apologized to him for calling the police.
"I hope everything is okay," Colbert says in the message he received from this person. "I hope everything is okay, and I was doing that to make sure you were safe and everybody on the road was safe."
He says he has bad torque on his car and even the wind can push his vehicle.
"But swerving in the lanes, I think that is a little bit excessive."
Banner image captured via Micah Colbert's Tiktok account
