A complaint of a suspicious person has led to Criminal Code and Controlled Drugs and Substance Charges by the Orillia Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
On March 18, 2025, just after 6:30 pm, officers were dispatched to a report of a suspicious person slumped over in a motor vehicle at a plaza on West Street North in the City of Orillia. Upon arriving on scene, officers noted that the vehicle was on and running, and there was a lone male in the driver’s seat. Speaking with the driver, officers entered into an impaired investigation and ultimately formed grounds to arrest the driver for impaired by drug. The accused was transported back to the Orillia Detachment for further testing by a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). Additionally, it was found that the accused was currently on a Release Order from a different jurisdiction from previous impaired allegations.
As a result of the investigation, Tysen Brandsma, 37-year-old from Barrie, has been charged with the following:
· Operation while Impaired
· Failure to Comply with Release Order x2, and
· Possession of a Schedule I Substance – Opioid
The accused was held for a bail hearing on today’s date. Additionally, their driver’s licence has been suspended for 90 days, and vehicle impounded for 7 days.
The OPP remind motorists that no amount of alcohol or drug is acceptable to consume and drive. Should you observe a suspected impaired driver, please dial 911 or contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122. You can also provide information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous at 1-800-8477 (TIPS) or
submit your information online at www.crimestopperssdm.com. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display, and you will remain anonymous. You will not testify in court and your information may lead to a cash reward of up to $2,000.00.
