In a span of 24 hours, three drivers have faced charges of impaired driving in the Upper Ottawa Valley.
The string of incidents began on January 26, 2024, when UOV OPP officers were prompted to investigate a suspicious vehicle parked on Summers Road in Petawawa. Christopher Mantha, 49, hailing from Pembroke, was subsequently charged with operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs, along with the possession of readily available cannabis. Mantha’s court appearance is scheduled for March 5th, 2024.
The following day, January 27th, saw another alarming event as UOV OPP officers responded to a head-on collision along Pembroke Street West in Laurentian Valley. In connection with this incident, Benjamin Richardson, 35, from Petawawa, was charged with impaired operation, driving with a blood alcohol level exceeding the legal limit, and having alcohol readily accessible in the vehicle. Richardson is slated to appear in court on March 5th, 2024.
Later that same evening, officers intervened in a potential impaired driving incident at a drive-through restaurant on Pembroke Street East in Pembroke. Taylor King, 26, of Petawawa, was apprehended and charged with operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs, along with possession of Teva-Nabilone. King’s court date is set for February 27, 2024.
(Written by: Emma Butler)