A number of folks facing charges after weekend RIDE checks

OPP News Release

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The North Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) spent quite a few hours on our area roadways this past weekend conducting RIDE in an effort to keep the public safe. While the majority get it – there are still a few that do not. Drinking and driving is a criminal offence – that has proven to be capable of killing the guilty and the innocent on our roadways.

On Friday October 26, 2012 at 5:45pm, a vehicle approached a RIDE check on Derland Rd in the Municipality of East Ferris and 1 of the occupants of the vehicle had an open container of alcohol and another just finished off a marijuana cigarette. While the driver was not “impaired” he was still trying to operate a motor vehicle while alcohol and marijuana were being consumed in the vehicle. Charged under the Liquor Licence Act for the open container of liquor (sec. 31(2) LLA) is Damon SCHIPPRACK (29yrs) of St. Catherine’s, and charged under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act with Possession of marijuana (sec 4(1) CDSA) is Thomas WELLER (51yrs) of Niagara on the Lake.

On Saturday night, early Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 1:05am a vehicle on Golf Course Rd in Chisholm Township was checked and the driver was found to have consumed alcohol. The driver provided a breath sample on the roadside device and registered a warn. The driver was not only drinking and driving, but was also already on 3 other separate driving suspensions for various offences. Shawn SCARFF of Chisholm Twp was charged with Driving while Under Suspension (sec 53 HTA), issued a 3 day licence suspension and had his vehicle impounded for 7 days. SCARFF was issued a summons to explain his actions in court on December 7, 2012.

The OPP message; we may not be able to be everywhere, but you can be rest assured that we will be somewhere.

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