Two drivers from the Upper Ottawa Valley are facing criminal charges after recent investigations by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
On June 19, 2024, at around 11:00 p.m., police stopped a vehicle on Petawawa Boulevard in Petawawa. After conducting a Standard Field Sobriety Test, the driver, 26-year-old Donald Iteka of Petawawa, was charged with refusing to comply with a police demand. His driver’s license was suspended for 90 days, and his vehicle was impounded for seven days. Iteka is set to appear in court on July 9, 2024.
A few hours later, on June 20, 2024, at approximately 2:45 a.m., police stopped another vehicle on Eganville Road in Pembroke. An alert from the Automated Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) system prompted the stop. As a result, 39-year-old Ashley Russell of Bonnechere Valley Township was charged with operating a vehicle while prohibited. Russell’s vehicle was impounded for 45 days, and they are also scheduled to appear in court on July 9, 2024.
The ALPR system, integrated with police in-car cameras, can read thousands of license plates per minute, helping officers identify vehicles of interest, including those related to Amber Alerts, suspended licenses, and stolen vehicles.
(Written by: Emma Butler)