Members of the City of Kawartha Lakes Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reminding the public of the dangers of mixing alcohol and drugs with driving after impaired driving charges were laid in four serious collisions over the Canada Day long weekend.
On July 1, 2023, at approximately 10:20 p.m., officers were dispatched to a vehicle crashing into a house on Hickory Beach Road. The investigation led to the arrest of the driver.
Dylan Curtis, 26 years of age, of Severn Township, has been charged with:
- Operation while impaired – alcohol
- Dangerous operation
- Failure to stop after accident
- Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)
On July 3, 2023, at approximately 5:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a single-vehicle collision on Monk Road west of Head Lake. The investigation resulted in impaired driving charges.
Andrew Hodson, 37 years old, of Brooklin, has been charged with:
- Operation while impaired- alcohol and drug
- Failure or refusal to comply with demand
The accused are both scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Lindsay on a later date. They both received a 90-day licence suspension and a seven-day vehicle impound.
In addition to these collisions, City of Kawartha Lakes OPP officers attended two other serious collisions that resulted in impaired driving charges.
On June 30, 2023, in Little Britain, three passengers suffered serious life-altering injuries after their side-by-side utility terrain vehicle (UTV) was involved in a single-vehicle collision. The driver was arrested and charged for impaired operation.
On July 1, 2023, in Coboconk, a pedestrian in critical condition was taken to a Toronto-area trauma centre after being struck by a car on private property. The driver from this incident was arrested for impaired operation.
Motorists are asked to plan ahead and find a safe and sober ride home. Any amount of alcohol or drugs can impair judgement. It is illegal to drive impaired anywhere, including private property, with any motorized vehicle, including a car, off-road vehicle (ORV) and boat.
Anyone who suspects a driver may be impaired is asked to call 9-1-1.