Impaired driver has accident with daughter in vehicle

A P.E.I. woman who had her daughter in her car with her when she drove off the road into a ditch was sentenced recently to seven days in jail for driving while impaired by a drug.

Alyshia Elizabeth Sinclair appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Georgetown where she entered a guilty plea.

Crown attorney Gerald Quinn told the court that on Aug. 24 Montague RCMP responded to a single-vehicle accident in Alberry Plains.

When the police arrived, they found a car in some trees with only its back end visible.

Quinn said Sinclair and her young daughter were sitting in a witness’s vehicle when the police arrived.

An officer could smell marijuana on Sinclair who said she was prescribed the drug for pain.

Quinn said Sinclair told police she was taking another prescription medication and thought she could drive on it.

A drug recognition expert determined Sinclair was impaired and a urine sample was later sent to a lab for testing.

Before hearing her sentence, Sinclair said she has been clean for six weeks and the incident was a huge wakeup call.

“I’m very ashamed of what I’ve done and my apologies to anyone who could have been hurt,” she said.

Orr said Sinclair was lucky no one was hurt and having a young child in the vehicle heightened the danger.

Along with the jail time, Sinclair must pay a $1,200 fine and $360 victim surcharge.

She is banned from driving for one year.