Complaints of vehicle swerving on Hwy. 17 lead to impaired, drug charges

An Ontario Provincial Police officer speaks to a driver during a traffic stop in this undated police image. (File photo/Ontario Provincial Police/X)

A 58-year-old woman from Manitoulin Island is facing multiple charges after two traffic complaints about dangerous driving behaviour on Highway 17 last month, police say.

Ontario Provincial Police said officers received complaints on March 27 regarding a vehicle that was “swerving” on the highway near Nairn-Hyman Township and “narrowly avoiding a collision.”

OPP said officers later located the vehicle on McKinnon Drive in Espanola.

“A traffic stop was conduct on Highway 6 and following further investigation, the driver was arrested for impaired operation,” police said in a news release.

OPP said police also seized an amount of suspected oxycodone pills during the investigation. Police estimated the street value of the drugs at $1,700.

As a result, the motorist from Silver Water has been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving unnecessarily slow and drug possession; in addition to charges of impaired driving and having care or control of a motor vehicle with liquor readily available.

In addition to the charges, under provincial law, the woman’s driver’s licence was automatically suspended for 90 days and the vehicle involved was impounded for seven days.

The accused is scheduled to appear in court in Espanola on June 1.