BLIND RIVER – A man has been charged after police say they found a car that had run out of gas "parked" in a live lane with the driver passed out at the steering wheel.
The incident happened early this morning.
East Algoma OPP say shortly after 2:30 a.m., police responded to a traffic complaint involving a grey car with its lights off sitting on Causley Street in Blind River.
Police found the driver passed out behind the wheel and later determined the car had run out of gasoline, the OPP said in a news release.
Officers transported the driver to the Elliot Lake OPP detachment for testing.
Police allege that while in custody the driver refused to provide a breath sample. Police said the driver was "lodged until sober".
Following an investigation, Aldrick Niganabe, 47, of Mississauga First Nation was charged with:
- Operation while impaired-alcohol and drugs
- Failure or refusal to comply with demand
The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Elliot Lake on March 7.
The driver was issued a 90-day driver's licence suspension and the vehicle was impounded for seven days.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and Niganabe is considered innocent unless proven guilty.