(SOUTH HURON, ON) – A Stratford resident is facing a lengthy list of charges stemming from an incident involving a vehicle that collided with a building at the north end of Exeter last weekend.
Just after 1:00 a.m. on January 4, 2020 Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers responded to a gas bar located on Main Street North to check on a driver that just drove into the building.
Upon arrival officers located a male seated in the driver’s seat of sedan that had collided with the gas station. Upon further investigation it was noted the driver was displaying signs of impairment through a drug. A Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST) was conducted and the driver performed poorly. Consequently he was placed under arrest for Impaired Operation and was transported to Stratford for an evaluation conducted by a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). An evaluation was conducted and it was determined by the DRE the driver was indeed impaired by a drug.
Further investigation revealed the accused was driving while prohibited and suspended. Furthermore, he was operating his vehicle without insurance and an ignition interlock device as required.
Christopher BLUM, 36 years of age, from Stratford has been charged with Impaired Operation, Operation While Prohibited, Driving While under Suspension, Operate a Motor Vehicle without Insurance, Fail to Have Insurance Card and Drive Motor Vehicle – Not Equipped with Ignition Interlock Device. The accused was later released from custody with a court appearance scheduled for February 10, 2020 at the Ontario Court of Justice – Goderich.