District RIDE checks yield few charges

News Release
RR Dist. OPP

Officers of the Rainy River District O.P.P. conducted several R.I.D.E. Programs over the holiday season. Between December 1st and 31st, officers checked 6037 vehicles. As a result of the R.I.D.E. programs, officers issued four driver’s licence suspensions and charged one male with Impaired Driving.
During general police duties throughout the month of December, police officers of the Fort Frances O.P.P. Detachment assisted officers of Canada Border Services with an impaired driver. On December 1st, 2007 a male driver of Pine City, Minnesota was attempting to cross into Canada through the Fort Frances border crossing when Border officials observed that he was impaired. The male driver was arrested and O.P.P. officers transported him to Fort Frances Detachment for breath tests. The male driver has been charged with Impaired Driving and Operation of a Motor Vehicle with Over 80 Milligrams of alcohol and was released on a $300 recognizance.
On December 21, 2007, while patrolling the Alberton Township, officers stopped a vehicle on Hwy 611 North exceeding the speed limit. The vehicle stop resulted in the arrest of a male driver from Manitoba. He was arrested and transported back to Fort Frances Detachment for breath tests. As a result, the male was charged with Operation of a Motor Vehicle with Over 80 Milligrams of alcohol and released with a court date in January.
Furthermore, officers of the Rainy River District O.P.P. Traffic Unit were patrolling the area of Hwy 11 near Heward Road on December 23, 2007. They had the occasion to stop a vehicle transporting a number of local youths. The driver was issued a 90 day driver’s licence suspension due to alcohol consumption and seized a bottle of alcohol. Officers notified parents of the incident.
Other news
Over the weekend of January 4th through January 7th, 2008 OPP officers within the Rainy River District responded to 39 calls for service.
Members of the Traffic Unit patrolled the OFSC snowmobile trails in Fort Frances and west to Barwick. Eight snowmobile operators were stopped and checked resulting in 5 warnings being issued. In total 291 kilometers of trails were patrolled including the townships of Fort Frances, Emo and Barwick.
Officers of the Fort Frances Detachment investigated four Liquor Licence offences. In all cases, individuals were taken into custody for being intoxicated in a public place and to prevent a breach of the peace.
Furthermore, officers attended a single motor vehicle collision on January 5, 2008 at Hwy 11 just west of Oakwood Road in Alberton Township. At approximately 9:30 am, a driver was westbound on Hwy 11 when she lost control of her vehicle, spun around once, entered the ditch and completely rolled over landing on the wheels. The driver, who had been wearing her seatbelt, was not injured. Police remind motorist to adjust their speeds and driving habits to weather and road conditions. With mild temperatures in the forecast, moisture will form on the roadways and turn to ice as temperatures cool.