Officers of the Huntsville Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) were active during the Thanksgiving Day weekend looking for impaired drivers. Three drivers, including two Huntsville residents, were taken off the roadway as a result those efforts.
On October 6, 2025 at 2:53 a.m. police were conducting a R.I.D.E. check (reduce impaired driving everywhere) on Brunel Road in the Town of Huntsville.
During this R.I.D.E. check police observed a vehicle come through and the driver presented signs of impairment.
As a result of the investigation, police have charged James Zingone, 25 years old of Etobicoke Ontario, with:
· Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs
· Operation while impaired – blood drug concentration
· Possession of a Schedule I Substance
The accused was released pending and is scheduled to appear on November 4, 2025 before the Ontario Court of Justice, in Bracebridge Ontario.
On October 12, 2025 at 10:55 a.m. a Huntsville O.P.P. officer was on general patrol on Highway 11 in the Town of Huntsville when they observed a vehicle travelling southbound at an extremely slow speed.
Upon stopping the vehicle, the officer observed obvious signs of impairment an the driver was arrested for Impaired Operation.
As a result of the investigation, police have charged Mattia Esposito, 49 years old of Huntsville Ontario, with:
· Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs
· Operation while impaired – blood drug concentration
The accused was released pending and is scheduled to appear on November 18, 2025 before the Ontario Court of Justice, in Bracebridge Ontario.
On October 12, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. a Huntsville O.P.P. officers received a complaint a slow moving vehicle driving erratically on Canal Road in the Town of Huntsville.
Police located the vehicle at an address on Chalet Cresent and suspected the driver to have been consuming alcohol. The driver was administered a roadside alcohol screening test and registered a fail.
As a result of the investigation, police have charged Rhonda Christianson, 53 years old of Huntsville Ontario, with:
· Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs
· Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration 80+
The accused was released pending and is scheduled to appear on November 25, 2025 before the Ontario Court of Justice, in Bracebridge Ontario.
All three drivers were issued 90 Administrative Driver’s License Suspensions and their vehicles were impounded for 7 days.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING.
These event could have easily been avoided had the drivers planned ahead before consuming alcohol or drugs. Don’t include alcohol or drugs in any plans to drive. Instead, arrange for a designated driver, take a taxi or public transit, or come up with another option that takes driving out of the picture altogether.
If you suspect impaired driving, please call 911. Keep our roads safe!
