Five drivers were arrested for various impaired driving offences by Bonavista RCMP over the holidays this past week. On December 24, police arrested a 26-year-old man, after being called to the scene of a single vehicle collision on Route 230 near Melrose. At the scene, the driver showed signs of drug impairment. He was transported to the Bonavista Peninsula Health Centre where he refused to provide blood samples. The man will appear in court at a later date to face charges of impaired driving and refusal. His licence was suspended and vehicle impounded.

Following a traffic stop conducted on Church Street in Bonavista on the afternoon of December 28, police arrested a 67-year-old man for impaired driving. The driver showed signs of impairment, failed a roadside breath test and was arrested for impaired driving. At the detachment, he provided breath samples that were above the legal limit. He was released to appear in court at a later date. His license was suspended and vehicle was impounded.

At approximately 11:30 p.m. that night, a traffic stop was conducted in Bonavista, on Cape Shore Road. The driver, a 30-year-old Bonavista man who had a novice driver’s licence, showed signs of drug impairment. The accompanying driver, who was seated in the passenger seat, also showed signs of impairment and received a license suspension. The driver tested positive for cannabis on roadside drug screening equipment. He was arrested, was transported to the Bonavista Peninsula Health Centre where he provided blood samples and was released from custody. The investigation is continuing to determine if charges of impaired driving are appropriate. The driver was ticketed for having open cannabis in a vehicle and his license was suspended. The vehicle was seized and impounded.

The following day, December 29, at approximately 8:30 p.m., a traffic stop was conducted on the Main Road in Knight’s Cove after an officer detected the odor of cannabis coming from the vehicle. The driver, a 38-year-old Bonavista man, showed signs of drug impairment. The man, who was in breach of his probation order, was transported to the detachment. He completed a Drug Influence Evaluation and was released from custody. He is set to attend court at a later date to answer to a charge of breach of probation. The investigation is continuing to determine if charges of impaired driving are appropriate.  The driver was issued a driver’s licence suspension and was ticketed for having open cannabis in a motor vehicle.

On December 30, 2023, at approximately 5:45 p.m., a traffic stop was conducted on the Main Road in Southern Bay. The driver, a 62-year-old man, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for impaired driving and failing to appear in court. He also showed signs of alcohol impairment during the traffic stop. He failed a roadside breath test and was transported to Clarenville detachment where he provided breath samples more than one and a half times the legal limit.  Following a court appearance, the man was remanded in custody. His licence was suspended and vehicle impounded.