A restaurant employee is being credited with helping keep an impaired driver off the road in Barrie.
Police were called to a restaurant in the area of Fairview Road and Essa Road around 10:20 Sunday night after an employee reported an intoxicated customer had left the business and gotten into a vehicle.
Police say officers arrived to find the vehicle parked with the engine running and a man behind the wheel. They say officers detected a strong smell of alcohol and spotted a beer can in the centre console cup holder.
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The 44-year-old Barrie man was arrested and taken to police headquarters, where breath tests allegedly showed he was nearly four time the legal limit.
He was charged with impaired driving and operating with a blood alcohol concentration over 80 milligrams. His vehicle was impounded and his driver's licence was suspended.
"This incident serves as a reminder of how community members play a critical role in helping to keep our roads safe. Impaired driving is entirely preventable, yet it's one of the leading causes of serious injury or death on the roads," police said in a news release.
