Rainy River District OPP have been busy in the back half of June as drivers continue to choose to operate their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
According to press releases from the OPP, on June 14, at approximately 12:30 a.m., officers received a report of a vehicle in a ditch on Atkinson Road in Chapple Township. Officers responded to the report, and conducted an investigation on scene that determined that alcohol was a factor in the incident.
“The driver was given a roadside screening device test which they failed,” the OPP stated.
“The driver was then arrested and transported to the Fort Frances Detachment where additional breath testing was completed.”
As a result of the investigation and screening, a 40-year-old from Woodlands, Man., was arrested and charged with one count each of impaired operation alcohol or drug, impaired operation 80 milligrams alcohol or over, drive motor vehicle with open container of liquor, and drive vehicle with cannabis readily available. The accused licence was suspended for 90 days and their vehicle was impounded for seven days. The accused was subsequently released by the OPP and has a first appearance in Rainy River Court on July 23, 2026.
Later that same day, at approximately 9:00 a.m., officers on the other side of the Rainy River District responded to a 911 call from staff at Quetico Provincial Park, who reported a collision in the main parking lot. Officers responded to the call and discovered a vehicle had lost control and crashed into the park’s gate and some trees, which deployed the vehicle’s air bags and caused a significant amount of damage to the vehicle.
No one was injured in the collision, but an investigation by the officers determined that the driver of the vehicle was “obviously impaired by alcohol.” Officers administered a roadside screening device test, which they failed.
“The driver was then arrested and transported to the Atikokan Detachment where additional breath testing was completed,” the OPP said.
A 30-year-old from Thunder Bay has been charged with one count each of impaired operation alcohol or drug, impaired operation 80 milligrams alcohol or over, and drive vehicle with cannabis readily available in response to the Quetico incident and subsequent investigation by the OPP.
Finally, on June 20, at approximately 8:30 p.m., OPP officers in Fort Frances received a 911 call from a concerned citizen regarding an impaired driver on Hwy 11/71 leaving Emo. Officers located the vehicle entering Fort Frances and conducted a traffic stop.
“Alcohol was detected and a roadside screening test was demanded,” the OPP said.
“The driver failed the test and was transported to the Fort Frances detachment where additional breath testing was completed.”
A 29-year-old from Fort Frances has been charged with one count each of impaired operation alcohol or drug, operation 80 mg of alcohol and over, drive motor vehicle with liquor readily available, and having care or control of a motor vehicle with open container of liquor. The driver’s licence was suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle impounded for seven days. The accused was released by police and had a first appearance in Fort Frances court today.
The OPP is reminding all motorists in the Rainy River District to stay safe this Canada Day week and beyond by making smart decisions, including not driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, and obeying posted speed limits.
“This year, 164 people have died in collisions on OPP-patrolled roads,” the OPP said.
“The top four factors in roadway fatalities continue to be speeding, impairment through alcohol and drugs, distracted driving and failure to wear a seatbelt. The public can expect to see an increased OPP presence across the province, with officers actively targeting dangerous driving behaviours during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. The OPP is committed to keeping people safe on close to 100,000 kilometres of waterways and trails, and more than 130,000 kilometres of roadway. Together, let’s make safety a top priority and prevent avoidable tragedies this Canada Day week.”
