One person was arrested on the afternoon of Sept. 22 after East Algoma OPP responded to complaints regarding an erratic driver on Highway 17 in the Laird Township and Thessalon areas.
The suspect vehicle was located in Iron Bridge. In addition to an impaired driving charge, a 37-year-old from Chatham faces drug charges after officers seized suspected cocaine and methamphetamine during a vehicle search.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and the accused is considered innocent unless proven guilty.
Full text of a news release issued by the OPP follows:
On Sept. 22, 2023 shortly after 4:30 p.m., members from the East Algoma Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to numerous traffic complaints of an erratic driver travelling eastbound on Highway 17. The complaints began in Laird Township and continued through the Thessalon area.
Officers from the East Algoma OPP (Blind River) patrolled westbound on Highway 17 where they observed the suspect vehicle at a local gas station in the Town of Iron Bridge. The driver was subsequently arrested and assessed by an OPP drug recognition evaluator (DRE).
Police searched the vehicle and located over 2 grams of suspected cocaine, over 0.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine and over 20 grams of suspected marijuana.
As a result, Scotty Knight, 37 years of age from Chatham, was charged with:
• Operation While Impaired - Alcohol and Drugs
• Dangerous Operation
• Possession of a Schedule I Substance - Methamphetamine
• Possession of a Schedule I Substance - Cocaine
• Failure to Comply with Release Order - other than to attend court
• Driving While Under Suspension
The accused appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice Video Bail in Blind River on Sept. 23, 2023, and was remanded into custody.
The OPP has highly trained DRE officers who are skilled in the detection and investigation of drug impaired drivers. Should you observe a suspected impaired driver, please call 911 or contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122.