A 50-year-old Qualicum Beach motorist pulled over to stop a suspected impaired driver from driving further, but ended up failing a roadside alcohol screening test themselves.
On New Year’s Eve at around 5:30 p.m., Oceanside RCMP received a report about a possible impaired driver in Qualicum Beach.
The suspect had pulled over on Fern Road near Berwick Road, and another motorist stopped to intervene, allegedly to prevent them from driving further.
When officers arrived on the scene, they noticed the second driver had signs of alcohol consumption.
A roadside alcohol screening test was administered, which the driver failed.
As a result, the individual was immediately prohibited from driving for 90 days and their vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
According to police, the initially suspected impaired driver was confirmed to be sober, although they were struggling with driving in the dark.
“Unfortunately, there are many people who still believe it is okay to drink and drive,” says Sergeant Shane Worth of Oceanside RCMP.
“Impaired driving is an offence, it is dangerous to everyone using the roads and our officers are targeting impaired drivers every day of the year to take them off the street.”
In addition to this case, Oceanside RCMP issued two more immediate 90-day driving prohibitions and 30-day impoundments on New Year’s Eve: one for a driver who refused a roadside alcohol test, and another for a driver who failed the test following a single-vehicle crash.
