Twice in two days, Manitoba RCMP officers were involved in collisions with impaired drivers.
On Sunday morning, April 18, 2021, officers in Thompson were responding to a call on Selkirk Avenue in the community when a vehicle pulled out in of them from a parking lot. The officer driving took evasive action to avoid a collision and drove onto a curb striking a lamp post. The other vehicle collided with the patrol car’s rear end but police say the damage was minimal.
The 33-year-old driver showed signs of impairment and was taken to hospital as a precaution. Neither RCMP officer were injured.
RCMP say the driver faces charges of Impaired Operation of a Conveyance, and Refusal to Comply with an Alcohol/Drug Demand.
On Monday evening, April 19, officers in Steinbach were patrolling the community looking for a reported impaired driver.
As officers were driving northbound on Old Tom Road they saw a vehicle coming towards them after swerving into their lane. The RCMP officer driving veered to the right to avoid a collision but the other vehicle hit the driver’s side passenger door pf the patrol unit.
The officers in the police cruiser were not injured. The 38-year-old driver of the other vehicle was also not injured but showed signs of impairment. He was arrested at the scene. Further investigation identified that the male had more than double the legal amount of alcohol in his system at the time of the collision.
RCMP say that every year they respond to about 45 deaths involving an impaired driver and about 150 collisions where people are injured by an impaired driver.
© News4.ca 2021
