Nearly three years after he struck a parked city police cruiser, a local man has been convicted of driving while under the influence of narcotics.
Christopher Dawson pleaded guilty Wednesday to drug-impaired driving in connection with the March 22, 2021 incident that occurred in downtown Sault Ste. Marie.
The 40-year-old first-time offender must pay a $1,200 fine and is prohibited from getting behind the wheel for a year.
Ontario Court Justice Romuald Kwolek heard the police vehicle was parked in a designated spot on Queen Street East at 4:25 p.m.
A Jeep drove over the sidewalk, then back on to the roadway and headed north on Bruce Street, prosecutor David Didiodato said.
When officers stopped the vehicle, Dawson appeared dazed.
He was unsteady on his feet, stumbling as he walked, and admitted to using heroin, the assistant Crown attorney said.
Dawson was taken to the police station and was arrested after performing poorly during a drug recognition evaluation.
Analysis of a urine sample revealed the presence of fentanyl, methadone, and methamphetamine.
The Crown's position was that because there was a collision it was initially seeking a higher penalty, Didiodato said.
But given the COVID backlog in courts, the accused's lack of a criminal record and guilty plea, it was suggesting a slightly elevated fine of $1,200.
The mandatory minimum for a first-time impaired conviction is $1,000.
Dawson told the judge he was experiencing difficulties at the time because both of his parents had passed away.
Kwolek called the facts aggravating.
There was an accident and "you put yourself and others at risk," he admonished the accused.
In addition to the fine, Kwolek imposed a $360 victim surcharge, bringing the total monetary penalty to $1,560.
He gave Dawson three years to pay it.