Off-duty officer arrests an impaired driver

An off-duty York Regional Police officer is being credited with alerting South Simcoe Police to an impaired driver in Bradford West Gwillimbury last Monday afternoon.

At about 4 p.m., the off-duty officer called South Simcoe Police after spotting a car being driven erratically northbound on Yonge Street just north of Bradford. Cruisers were dispatched and located the suspect vehicle in the area a short time later.

A 55-year-old Barrie man was arrested and transported to the South Division station where he refused to provide a Breathalyzer test. He has been charged with impaired driving and refuse Breathalyzer and was held for a bail hearing on Feb. 5 in Barrie.

Residents can play a role in keeping roadways safe. Anyone who sees a suspected impaired driver is encouraged to call 911 and report the incident to police. Police will ask you to provide the location, a description of the vehicle and driver and the last known direction of travel. Police do not want motorists to put themselves in danger. Thus, residents should never follow the suspect vehicle or try to apprehend an impaired driver.

Impaired driving is the leading cause of criminal death in Canada. When you drink and drive you not only risk your life and your passengers', but the lives of every other driver and pedestrian on the road.