Roadways in the Southern Georgian Bay OPP Detachment area over the weekend received a healthy coating of snow and with strong gusting winds created winter driving conditions for drivers. Officers responded to 22 reported vehicle crashes between January 10-15, 2024, with two of them causing officers to conduct impaired driving investigations.
Patrol officers were able to set up 12 Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E.) programs at various locations during the same time frame resulting in 148 drivers being checked for signs of impairment.
Impaired Driving Investigations
A head-on crash at the south entrance to the Town of Penetanguishene near 4:30 p.m. January 13, 2024, involving a northbound and southbound vehicle on Simcoe County Road 93 sent both drivers to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the northbound vehicle, Martin Sims 60 years of Midland was the subject of an impaired driving investigation and once completed was charged criminally with the following offences.
- Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)
- Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs
- Operation causing bodily harm
Officers responded to a report at 10.55 p.m. January 11, 2024, of a single vehicle crash on Sundowner Road, Midland. The attending officer entered into an impaired driving investigation upon speaking with the lone driver resulting in Gavin Blok-Kavanaugh 24 years of Midland being charged criminally with the following offences.
- Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)
- Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs
- Novice driver – B.A.C. above zero contrary to the Highway Traffic Act
Both accused persons were released from police custody to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice on January 25, 2024, and they also face a 90 day driver’s licence suspension along with a tow and impound invoice for seven days as per the Ministry of Transportation (ADLS) guidelines).
