RCMP are crediting a traffic constable with getting several drivers who had been drinking off the roads north of Winnipeg over four days.
“This is not a typical weekend for a traffic services officer,” Insp. Michael Gagliardi, the officer in charge of Manitoba RCMP traffic services said in a news release Wednesday. “However, it shows that impaired driving is still happening and that mandatory alcohol screening is an invaluable tool to help us get impaired drivers off the road.”
Every motorist stopped by a Manitoba RCMP traffic services officer is required to receive a screening.
The patrolling officer stopped a speeding vehicle on Wenzel Street in the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul late Friday afternoon. RCMP said the 64-year-old driver’s licence was suspended and his vehicle was impounded, as is required, after he was found to have a “warning”-level blood alcohol concentration of between .05 and .079. He was also given a speeding ticket.
Later that afternoon, the constable stopped a southbound vehicle going 155 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on Highway 59. RCMP said the 47-year-old man had a warning-level BAC and was also given a speeding ticket.
That evening, the officer stopped a vehicle on Garven Road. The driver was found to have been drinking but did not exceed the legal limit, police said. The 23-year-old man was given tickets for driving while disqualified and making a false statement to police. The vehicle’s registered owner was in the vehicle but was suspended from driving, and the vehicle was impounded.
Late that night, the constable stopped a vehicle speeding on Highway 59. The 30-year-old male driver had a BAC of .08 or higher and was also ticketed for speeding, RCMP said.
On Monday evening, the officer saw a vehicle going 132 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on Garven Road. The 24-year-old male driver failed a BAC test and was also ticketed for speeding, police said.
Later that night, the constable saw a vehicle turn from Garven Road onto southbound Highway 59 with the four-way flashers activated and while driving under the speed limit. The officer stopped the vehicle to see if the driver needed help, RCMP said. The 51-year-old male driver said he had his spare tire on after getting a flat and was driving slow for safety. The driver failed a BAC test, police said.
“As we see from this past weekend, it helps us to remove these dangerous drivers from the road,” Gagliardi said in the release. “When drivers are impaired, they make bad decisions, and those decisions can have deadly consequences. The excellent work done by this officer over the weekend very well could have saved lives.”
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca