Cops respond to driver 'swerving across both lanes of Highway 17'

A 33-year-old driver from Mississauga was arrested Tuesday night after the OPP found a pickup truck "driving slowly and swerving across both lanes of Highway 17" in Sables-Spanish Rivers Township.

Pritpal Thabais is charged with operation while impaired and refusal to comply with a breath demand.

None of the allegations have been tested in court and Thabais is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

Below is the full news release from the Ontario Provincial Police.

SABLES-SPANISH RIVERS TOWNSHIP - The Manitoulin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has laid 49 impaired driving charges since Jan. 1, 2023.

On Aug. 1, 2023 shortly after 9:30 p.m., the Manitoulin OPP responded to a traffic complaint of a red pickup truck driving slowly and swerving across both lanes of Highway 17 in Sables-Spanish Rivers Township.

Police located the vehicle in a snowplough turnaround and spoke to the driver. It was determined the driver had been consuming alcoholic beverages. The driver was arrested for impaired driving and returned to the Espanola OPP detachment for further tests.

Pritpal Thabal, 33 years old from Mississauga, was charged with:
    •    Operation while impaired - alcohol and drugs  
    •    Failure or refusal to comply with demand

The accused was released and scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Espanola on Sept. 11, 2023.

The driver was issued a 90-day administrative driver's licence suspension and the vehicle was impounded for seven days.

Drivers are reminded that no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe when driving. If you plan on drinking or consuming drugs, plan not to drive. Instead, arrange for a designated driver or take a taxi.

If you observe a suspected impaired driver, please call 9-1-1 immediately and report it.