Between the evening of Friday, Oct. 13 and the morning of Monday, Oct. 16, NWT RCMP responded to an estimated 364 calls for service.
In Inuvik, on Oct. 13 at 11:59 p.m., the RCMP pulled over a vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign and erratic driving.
The driver, a 17-year-old, was found to be under the influence of alcohol and was subsequently arrested for impaired driving. Breath samples taken at the detachment revealed a blood alcohol content more than triple the legal limit. The teenager now faces several charges under the Criminal Code and the Motor Vehicle Act.
On Oct. 14 at 1:53 p.m. in Fort Good Hope, RCMP received a complaint about an impaired snowmobile driver. Upon arrival, officers observed a man driving a snowmobile at high speed. The individual was stopped and found to be under the influence of alcohol. Breath samples taken at the RCMP detachment indicated that his blood alcohol content was over three times the legal limit. The 33-year-old local man is now facing charges of impaired driving.
On Oct. 15 at 10:43 a.m. in Fort Providence, RCMP officers on patrol encountered a vehicle driving 20 km/h below the speed limit. Upon stopping the vehicle, it was discovered that the driver, a 32-year-old woman from Fort Providence, had been prohibited from driving due to a previous conviction for impaired driving. She has been issued a court date and criminal charges of driving while disqualified are pending.
“In addition to the above listed files, the Northwest Territories RCMP laid impaired driving charges against three additional people over the weekend and an additional four people during the week of Oct. 9-13. Impaired driving continues to be an issue in the Northwest Territories and presents a considerable risk to other users of the roadways. All drivers are strongly encouraged to avail themselves of alternatives to driving while under the influence of alcohol,” the news release reads.
It added that penalties for impaired driving range from fines and loss of driver’s licence and can involve serious injury or even death.
Officers will continue patrolling roadways to ensure drivers are sober and properly licensed, the RCMP stated.