(BRACEBRIDGE, ON) – Bracebridge Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has laid criminal charges in five separate impaired driving investigations between March 16 – 23, 2024 and is asking for the publics help in changing the pattern of drivers continuing to risk safety by choosing to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
On March 16, 2024, at 5:15 p.m. officers responded to reports of a two-vehicle collision on Monck Road at Wellington St in Bracebridge. An investigation into the cause of the collision commenced and police arrested and charged 32-year-old Liam RADFORD of Bracebridge, ON with Impaired Operation- Over 80 CC 320.14(1)(b). He will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on April 9, 2024 to answer to his charge.
On March 17, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. Bracebridge OPP officers responded to a traffic complaint about a possibly impaired driver and located the vehicle in the area of the Torrance Barrens in Muskoka Lakes Twp. Officers subsequently arrested and charged 29-year-old Shannon PREN of Barrie, ON with Impaired Operation -by Drug CC 320.14(1)(a). She will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on April 23, 2024 to answer to her charge.
Later the same day, March 17, 2024 at 6:20 p.m. a member of the public called police to express their concerns about the erratic driving behaviour of a motorist on Highway 11 South in Bracebridge, police located the vehicle a short time later and conducted a traffic stop. The driver, 54-year-old Troy SYLVESTER of Barrie, ON was arrested and charged with Operation While Impaired CC 320.14(1)(a) and Over 80 CC 320.14(1)(b). He will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on April 30, 2024 to answer to his charges.
On March 18, 2024 at 11:40 p.m. while officers were conducting a RIDE program in the area of Manitoba Street and Taylor Road in Bracebridge, officers stopped a vehicle and subsequently arrested and charged the driver, 28-year-old Hayleigh BARNES of Bracebridge, ON with Operation While Impaired CC 320.14(1)(a) and Over 80 CC 320.14(1)(b). She will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge, ON on April 23, 2024 to answer to her charges.
On March 23, 2024 at 5:20 p.m. a member of the public called police to report their concern about a person who had left a commercial parking lot on Ferguson Road in Gravenhurst and then returned to the same parking lot. Bracebridge OPP officers attended and subsequently arrested and charged 46-year-old Victor GROVES of Huntsville, ON with Operation While Impaired CC 320.14(1)(a) and Over 80 CC 320.14(1)(b). He will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on April 16, 2024 to answer to his charges.
Information from concerned and attentive members of the public is key in efforts to take impaired drivers off the road and create safer driving conditions for everyone. The consequences for impaired driving in the province of Ontario, beyond the criminal charge, includes a 90 day drivers license suspension and a 7 day vehicle impound.