10 charged on P.E.I. over the weekend with impaired driving

Police on P.E.I. were busy over the weekend dealing with impaired drivers. 

Charlottetown police charged five people suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, and RCMP charged five others suspected of driving under the influence of cannabis.

One of the people charged by Charlottetown police was involved in a minor two-vehicle collision on Belvedere Avenue Saturday at about 7:40 p.m.

While interacting with one of the drivers, a 36-year-old Charlottetown man, police noticed he displayed signs of impairment. Breath samples showed levels over twice the legal limit.

Also charged in separate incidents were:

• A 29-year-old Cornwall male, who was pulled over on the arterial highway Friday at 11:30 p.m. and provided breath samples that were over twice the legal limit.
• A 54-year-old Charlottetown man, who was pulled over Saturday at 2 p.m. on Atlantic Road after police received a complaint about a possible impaired driver.
• A 28-year-old Stratford man, who was found sleeping in the driver's seat of a parked car in Weymouth Street, with the engine running on Sunday at 3:44 a.m. He provided breath samples that were almost twice the legal limit.
• A 24-year-old Charlottetown man, who was pulled over at 2:18 a.m. Monday morning after police noticed an erratic driver on St. Peters Road. He provided breath samples that were over twice the legal limit.

They will all appear in provincial court at a later date.

Meanwhile, the RCMP Provincial Priority Unit arrested five drivers between Thursday and Saturday for driving while impaired by cannabis.

"Impaired is impaired, and for some users, they may be habitual users and may have a false sense of confidence in their abilities," said Const. Gavin Moore.

"But when their blood is tested or they're given a roadside test and they fail that, they do not have the skills to drive a vehicle like a sober person."

RCMP said motorists can expect to see an increase in sobriety checkpoints across P.E.I. during the holiday season.