West Grey Police: December 16th – 23rd, 2019

Attempted Break and Enter leads to numerous charges

On Saturday December 22nd, 2019, police were dispatched to a break and enter in progress at a William Street residence in Durham, Ont.  The complainant reported that someone was trying to kick the rear door of her home in. The dispatchers could hear the loud thumping of the door while officers hurried on route. Officers attended the scene and located the suspect who was found to be heavily intoxicated by alcohol.

The man was and arrested by police and charged criminally for Trespassing at night, Attempting to commit an indictable offence and Mischief under $5000. The man was also charged under the Liquor Licence Act for being intoxicated in a public place. The 27 year old accused Durham man was transported to the police station where he was processed and later released on conditions. He is scheduled to appear at the Walkerton Courthouse on February 26th, 2020 where he will answer to the charges.

 

West Grey officer gets assaulted during investigation

On Monday December 16th 2019 West Grey Police officers were dispatched to Countess Street in Durham in regards to reports of a vehicle in which the occupants had open alcohol. The officer arrived on scene and observed a man exit the rear driver side of a vehicle and begin to walk towards him. The officer noted the man was unsteady on his feet and had an odor of alcohol emanating from his breath. The officer cautioned the man in regards to open alcohol and offered to walk him back to his home as it was close by. The man then grabbed the officer by the arm to which the officer directed him to let go of his arm and the man complied.

The officer was eventually able to convince the accused to follow him and walk to his residence however, while walking the man all of a sudden stopped and became belligerent towards the officer. The man then struck the officer in the center of the chest with a closed fist. The man was placed under arrest for one count of Assault Police and one count of Being Intoxicated in a Public Place. The accused man was then transported to the West Grey Police Station where he was processed and later released on conditions. The 34 year old accused West Grey man was issued a January 23rd 2020 court date where he is scheduled to appear at the Walkerton Courthouse to answer to the charges.

 

 

Impaired / Fail to provide breath sample

 

On Friday, December 20th, 2019 at approximately 2:50a.m, police responded to a call for service in the area of Grey Road 3 and Concession 16 for reports of a vehicle in the ditch. The caller told police that the male in the front seat of the vehicle was asleep and that he may be intoxicated.

Upon police arrival, the male exited the vehicle from the driver seat and an odour of alcohol could be smelled coming from his breath. The driver was identified and subsequently ordered to provide a breath sample into approved screening device.

 

Rather than providing a breath sample, the male simply held the mouthpiece to his lips and did not blow into the device. The man was cautioned that the consequences for not providing a breath sample have the same penalties as if he were to have failed the test. An ample amount of opportunities to provide a breath sample were given however the driver still refused to provide a breath same. Consequently, the 39 year old Ayton man was charged with Failure or refusal to comply with demand contrary to section 320.15(1) of the Criminal Code. The accused Ayton man’s vehicle was immediately impounded for 7 days and his driver’s licence was suspended at the roadside for ninety days. The 39 year old Ayton resident is set to appear at the Walkerton Courthouse on February 5th, 2020 where he will answer to the charge.

 

The West Grey Police Service is committed to road safety and will not tolerate impaired driving on our roadways. Throughout the holiday season, a greater number of RIDE programs can be expected. Police recommend planning your ride home ahead and when in doubt, call a taxi or a friend.

 

 

Another impaired driver removed from the streets of West Grey

On Saturday 21st December 2019 at approximately 1:15am, police were conducting a RIDE program on Mill Street in Neustadt. Police observed a silver vehicle who made no effort to stop at a stop sign located at a nearby cross street in view of the RIDE program.  The vehicle then continued to travel Southbound on Grey Road 10 where he was intercepted by police. The driver told the officers that he was on his way home from a Christmas party which had been held at a nearby bar.

The male driver was then ordered to provide a breath sample and complied with the demand. The breath sample the driver provided registered as a “FAIL” into the roadside screening device indicating that he was over the legal limit. Consequently, the driver was arrested and transported to the West Grey Police Station where he provided additional breath samples, confirming that he was over the legally prescribed limit.

Subsequent to police investigation, the 30 year old man from Clifford area was  charged with Operation While Impaired and having a blood alcohol concentration of 80 or over. The accused man’s vehicle was immediately impounded for 7 days and his driver’s licence was suspended for ninety days. The accused was processed and later released with a January 20thThe accused Ayton man’s vehicle was immediately impounded for 7 days and his driver’s licence was suspended at the roadside for ninety days., 2020 court date where he will appear at the Walkerton Courthouse to answer to the charges.

Driver watching YouTube videos rolls through RIDE program

On the Monday December 23rd 2019, West Grey Police officers were conducting a RIDE program at the intersection of Durham Road East and Garafraxa Street North. Officers were met by a 60 year old Kitchener man who drove through the RIDE program while watching a YouTube video on his cellular phone. The driver was pulled over and was issued an offence notice for Drive – Display Screen Visible to Driver contrary to section 78(1) of the Highway Traffic Act.

Distracted driving is not just about cell phones. GPS units, Smartwatches, Tablets and Laptops all lead to driver inattention.  Until 2015, the maximum fine for distracted driving in Ontario was $500. On January 1st 2019, the Ontario government changed the Highway Traffic Act raising the maximum fine for distracted driving to $1000 on a first offence and added a three-day licence suspension upon conviction of a first offence.

Drivers who continue to contravene this section of the law face a seven day licence suspension upon conviction of a second offence and repeat offenders with more than two distracted driving charges face 30-day suspensions of their driver’s licence. Drivers with a class G1, G2, M1 or M2 licence, who are convicted of distracted driving or driving with a hand held device receive the same fine as A to G drivers as well as a 30-day licence suspension for a first conviction, a 90-day licence suspension for a second conviction and cancellation of your licence and removal from the Graduated Licensing System for a third conviction.

 

“When driving, you are in control and share a responsibility for road safety. Distracted driving is not only hazardous to you, it endangers your passengers and everyone on and around the roadways. A driver who checks a text message for five seconds while travelling at 90 km/h is the equivalent to having driven the length of a football field while you were blindfolded. We want everyone to enjoy a safe holiday season so keep your eyes on the road and keep your mind on the task of driving.” says Chief Robert Martin of the West Grey Police Service.