(NORTH PERTH, ON) – Another driver passed out behind the wheel was found to be in possession of purple fentanyl in Listowel.
On December 07 2020, just before 9:00 p.m., a Perth County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer on patrol located a vehicle parked on private property on Tremaine Avenue South, in the Municipality of North Perth.
When police approached the parked vehicle, the driver was found to be passed out behind the wheel. Drugs and drug paraphernalia were observed in plain view on the driver’s lap. The driver woke up, and was displaying signs of impairment by a drug.
The driver was placed under arrest for operation while impaired, and was transported to a local OPP detachment for a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) examination, which was refused. A DRE examination consists of a series of tests, and determines if a driver is impaired by drugs.
As a result, Emma Louise POYNTON, 28, of North Perth, Ontario, has been charged with:
- Operation while Impaired – Alcohol and Drugs
- Failure or Refusal to Comply with Demand
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance – Heroin
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance – Opioid
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance – Methamphetamine
A 90-day Administrative Driver’s Licence Suspension and seven day vehicle impoundment was initiated as per statute. The accused was released from custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Stratford at a later date to answer to the charges.
This is the fourth similar incident since September, in which impaired drivers have been found passed out behind the wheel of their vehicles in North Perth. Three of these incidents involved drugs, and one was a result of alcohol impairment.
Anyone with information regarding this or any incident is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or online at www.opp.ca/reporting. Should you wish to remain anonymous you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous online message at http://hc-cs.ca where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.