FORT FRANCES, ON – Officers of the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) conducted patrols of District highways over the weekend. As a result of police efforts, a driver was stopped and a potentially dangerous outcome was prevented.
On 01 March 2020, at 11:37 a.m., officers stopped a westbound vehicle in the area of Highway 11 near the French River, an area east of Atikokan, ON. The vehicle was observed traveling at a significantly high rate of speed well above the posted speed limit.
The driver, Marcus COULSON, age 26, of Atikokan, ON was arrested and charged for the following offenses:
- Operation while impaired contrary to Section 320.14(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
- Having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood contrary to Section 320.14(1) (b) of the Criminal Code.
- Race a motor vehicle contrary to Section 172(1) of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA).
- Novice driver with Blood Alcohol Concentration above zero contrary to Section 44.1(3) of the Highway Traffic Act.
- Drive motor vehicle, no currently validated permit contrary to Section (7)1(a) of the Highway Traffic Act.
- Fail to surrender insurance card contrary to 3(1) of the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act (CAIA).
- Drive motor vehicle with an open container of liquor contrary to Section 32(1) of the Liquor Licence Act (LLA);
- Drive vehicle with cannabis readily available contrary to Section 12(1) of the Cannabis Control Act (CCA).
- The vehicle was impounded by the OPP.
OPP officers will remain diligent with their focus on impaired drivers by conducting traffic enforcement, patrols and Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) checks stops in various random locations every day across the Districts. If you have been consuming intoxicating substances, do not get behind the wheel of any vehicle.
The accused is scheduled to attend in Provincial court on April 15, 2020 to answer to the charges. None of the charges have been proven in court.
