RENFREW COUNTY (Laurentian Valley) — On January 16, members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) East Region Snowmobile, ATV and Vessel Enforcement (SAVE) Unit were on patrol on Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) trails in the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP Detachment area.
At approximately 5:00 p.m., SAVE unit officers stopped and checked a Motorized Snow Vehicle (MSV) driver on OFSC B Trail near Robinson Road in Laurentian Valley Township (LVTP). As part of the investigation a Roadside Screening Device was utilized and the driver was transported to the detachment for further testing. It was also determined a false identification was provided.
As a result of this investigation 51-year-old Daniel Donald Florent of LVTP has been charged with the following Criminal Code (CC) offences:
Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration over 80mg
Obstruct peace officer
Operation while prohibited under the Criminal Code – four counts
The accused had their license suspended for 90 days and their MSV was impounded for seven days. The accused was released from police custody and is scheduled to appear on March 10 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Pembroke. In addition to the CC charges, the driver also faces several Motorized Snow Vehicle (MSV) Act charges under provincial legislation.
UOV OPP Detachment Commander Stephan Neufeld stated, “The UOV OPP remains committed to ensuring our trails are safe from alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired drivers and that snowmobiling remains a safe recreational activity. Local officers, in partnership with our East Region SAVE Team, will continue to be on the trails this winter conducting spot checks throughout the area. We would like to remind everyone that no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe whether driving your vehicle or operating your sled.”
The four season SAVE unit targets high-risk operator behaviours on waterways and trails, regardless of season, and enhance ongoing education and enforcement activities through additional patrols, education and focused enforcement.
