Two separate incidents resulted in impaired driving charges on Halloween Day last week.
On the morning of October 31, 2025, around 7 a.m., a concerned citizen reported a suspicious vehicle in a convenience store parking lot on William Street in the Town of Midland. The driver of the car had been parked in the same spot for an extended period and appeared to be slumped over in the driver’s seat.
Members of the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) attended the scene and were able to awaken the person behind the wheel. In conversation with the driver, officers noted signs of impairment. Following a roadside sobriety test, the driver was placed under arrest for impaired operation.
Upon being searched, officers located a quantity of suspected cocaine. Further impairment testing was conducted at the detachment by a Drug Recognition Evaluator.
As a result of the investigation, Rose Copegog, 50 years old, of Penetanguishene, has been charged under the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act with the following offences:
- Impaired Operation
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance – Cocaine
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
- Failure to Comply with Release Order
Later that evening, at around 6 p.m., detachment members responded to a collision on Concession 13 West in the Township of Tiny. Officers located a pickup truck that had left the roadway and was stuck in a ditch. (see photo)
During the collision investigation, the driver provided a breath sample into a roadside screening device and registered a “Fail.” The driver was arrested and transported to the detachment for further breath testing.
As a result, James Lapinskas, 26 years old, of Tiny Township, faces the following Criminal Code offences:
- Operation While Impaired
- Operation Over 80 Milligrams
The accused parties from the above incidents were released from custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Midland in November 2025. Upon being charged with impaired driving, the accused’s driver’s licence is suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle is impounded for seven days.
