RCMP kept busy with speeding, impaired driving investigations

Saskatchewan RCMP officers had a busy Canada Safe Driving Week.

Between Dec. 1 and Dec. 7, Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan officers checked 2,470 vehicles around the province. Those stops led to:

• 1,586 warnings being issued to motorists;
• 604 speeding charges being laid;
• 125 vehicle defect inspection notices being issued;
• 100 distracted driving cellphone charges being laid;
• 73 people being charged for seatbelt misuse;
• 69 invalid vehicle registrations charges being laid;
• 27 invalid driver’s licence charges being laid;
• 17 roadside suspensions being issued (nine alcohol-related, eight drug-related);
• 17 driving while disqualified, suspended or prohibited charges being laid;
• Five impaired (alcohol) driving charges being laid; and
• Five charges being laid for driving a vehicle with open alcohol or unsealed cannabis.

According to the RCMP, on Dec. 4 at about 7:30 p.m., an RCMP officer clocked a vehicle at 184 kilometres per hour in a 100 km/h zone on Highway 13 near Griffin and Weyburn. The officer pulled over the vehicle and gave the driver a $1,179 ticket.

On Dec. 3 — National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day — officers in the province checked 1,755 vehicles at 43 checkpoints across Saskatchewan.

Those stops led to:

• 13 Criminal Code impaired charges being laid (alcohol-related);
• 11 roadside suspensions for below Criminal Code impairment (alcohol-related); and
• Four roadside suspensions for below Criminal Code impairment (drug-related).

At about 10:30 a.m., a 911 call told officers a vehicle almost rear-ended a semi while speeding on Highway 16 near Maidstone.

Maidstone RCMP officers found the vehicle parked on the side of Highway 16 with a person sitting in the passenger seat. The police didn’t find any footprints around the vehicle, so they determined the occupant was the driver.

The 21-year-old man was charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle and impaired operation of a motor vehicle while over .08.

Then, just before 11 p.m., a 911 call reported a suspected impaired driver in Moosomin. RCMP officers found the vehicle parked on the wrong side of the street and, after seeing signs of impairment, asked the driver for a breath sample. The 32-year-old woman refused, was charged with failure or refusal to comply with a demand and was handed a 60-day vehicle impound.