A 47-year-old woman is facing Criminal Code charges following a multi-vehicle collision in the Upper Ottawa Valley on February 27. At approximately 10:00 p.m., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a crash involving three vehicles on the 800 block of Pembroke Street West.
Investigation revealed that the driver’s vehicle left the roadway, struck a utility pole, and then collided with two parked cars. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The driver, Joanne Martin from Laurentian Valley Township, was arrested, and subsequent testing revealed her blood alcohol concentration was over three and a half times the legal limit.
As a result, Martin has been charged with operation while impaired by alcohol and operation with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 80mg. Her driver’s license was suspended for 90 days, and her vehicle was towed and impounded for seven days.
Martin was released and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Pembroke on March 24. The Ontario Provincial Police continue to remind the public about the dangers of impaired driving and urge drivers to always make safe choices on the road.
(Written by: Emma Butler)