(SAUGEEN FIRST NATION, ON) – On September 9, 2020 at 11:54 p.m. Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) stopped a (red) pick-up truck for speeding on Highway 21, near Denny’s Dam Road, on the Saugeen First Nation.
The driver initially stopped on the shoulder of the roadway and then they tried to speed away, but lost control, spinning into the ditch.
The driver displayed obvious signs of impairment and was arrested for being impaired while operating a motor vehicle, as well as other criminal offences. The accused was transported to the Grey Bruce OPP detachment in Chatsworth for a breath test. The results of the breath test were more than twice the legal limit of 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
As a result of this investigation, Grey Bruce OPP have charged Preston RITCHIE, 19 years-of-age, from Saugeen First Nation with the following offences:
Operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, section 320.14(1)(a) Criminal Code of Canada (CC)
Operation of a motor vehicle while impaired – blood alcohol concentration over 80, section 320.14(1)(b) CC
Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, section 320.13(1) CC
Flight from peace officer, section 320.17 CC
Possession of weapons for a dangerous purpose, section 88 CC
Speeding, section 128 Highway Traffic Act (HTA)
Novice driver, blood alcohol concentration above zero, section 44.1(3) HTA
Drive a motor vehicle with open container of liquor, section 32(1) Liquor Licence Act
Drive motor vehicle with cannabis readily available, section 12(1) Canadian Cannabis Act 2017
The accused had their drivers licence suspended for 90 days and the vehicle they were operating was towed and will be impounded for seven days.
The accused has been released on an Undertaking and is scheduled to appear in Ontario Court of Justice in Walkerton on November 25, 2020.
Anyone with information on this investigation can call Grey Bruce OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a secure web-tip at www.cstip.ca, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.