Impaired snowmobiler nabbed

The Labrador West Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has made their first catch this year of a person operating a snowmobile vehicle while impaired, according to Constable Bill Fitzgerald.

A 52-year-old male resident of Wabush was charged with impaired driving and operating a motor vehicle while his blood alcohol level was over 80 milligrams, states an RNC press release.

Fitzgerald said that the catch was a direct result of the RNC's recent increase in snowmobile patrols.

It happened Jan. 23 at 9:30 p.m., according to the press release, when members of the RNC in Labrador West were conducting routine snowmobile patrols in the area of the north trail near Javelin Road, located approximately 7 kilometers from Labrador City.

The patrollers, said Fitzgerald, stopped approximately 50 snowmobile operators that evening on the White Wolf Snowmobile Club trail. He adds that they were checking random drivers for papers and trail passes, and that night issued a ticket for no insurance and a ticket for no trail pass.

Fitzgerald said that the patrollers noticed a snowmobile operator who was not dressed appropriately. In minus 35 degree Celsius weather, the driver had his jacket open and didn't have his face covered, which he said caused the patrollers concern.

When they stopped the driver, he said, they noticed signs of impairment including slurred speech, blood shot eyes, and unsteady balance.

They detained and took him to the RNC detachment in Labrador City for a breath test, which Fitzgerald said he failed.

Then he was charged, served with his documents, issued a 24-hour driving suspension, and released, said Fitzgerald. He is scheduled to appear in court in Wabush on March 9.

The RNC is taking a proactive approach to prevent infractions that could have ended up in tragedy, said Fitzgerald.

He admitted that in the past they couldn't have made such a catch unless there was a complaint.

Currently they have patrols monitoring all snowmobile activity for breaches of the Motorized Snow Vehicle/All-Terrain Vehicle Act, Highway Traffic Act, and the Criminal Code of Canada, he said, as well as checking cabin areas, snowmobile trails, and around town.

It is still a fairly new year and Fitzgerald stated that they made two charges of impaired driving: one involving a vehicle and the other involving the snowmobile operator in question.

He hopes that people will learn from this incident and realize that drunk drivers put everyone at risk.

With the increased patrols he would like to eliminate this problem in the community.