A father in Whitby has been charged with impaired driving twice in the span of 19 hours and police allege in one incident, his children were in the car.
The first incident took place around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday when the man, believed to be in his 40s, was pulled over in his pickup truck. Police said the man’s three children, who are between the ages of nine and 14, were in the vehicle.
Investigators said that the man blew more than three times the legal limit during a breath test.
The man was charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle and driving with a blood-alcohol level over 80 milligrams. He was released on a promise to appear order.
Durham Regional Police also said that the man’s licence was suspended for 90 days and his vehicle was impounded.
Around 2:30 p.m. the following day, the same man was stopped by officers near Mary Street and Euclid Street. Police said he was driving a different vehicle.
“His breath test registered over 3.5 times the legal limit,” investigators said in a news release issued Friday.
The man was then charged with impaired operation of a vehicle, driving with a blood-alcohol level over 80 milligrams, and driving while suspended.
Police said the man was held for a bail hearing and the second vehicle was impounded.
The man’s name has not been released in order to protect the identity of his children, investigators said.
In the news release, police said that officers have laid 138 impaired driving related charges across Durham region.
“The number of impaired drivers on our roads continues to be a concern and police are reminding motorists there is a zero tolerance for impaired driving,” police said.
“Over the past five years, officers laid an average of 777 impaired related charges each year and DRPS wants to see that number go down. If you will be drinking or consuming drugs, please arrange a ride by taxi or ride sharing agency. Don’t Drink and Drive.”
