Police wrap up holiday R.I.D.E program with over 10K stops

Waterloo Regional Police checked 10,734 vehicles during the holiday R.I.D.E. program, which wrapped up January 4.

Police held 44 R.I.D.E (Reducing Impaired Driving Everywhere) programs throughout Waterloo Region. A total of 183 charges were laid, including:

■ 17 impaired-related charges

■ 39 three-day suspensions and three seven-day suspensions

■ 97 Highway Traffic Act charges

■ 6 Criminal Code charges

■ 5 Cannabis Control Act charges

“Waterloo Regional Police remain committed to road safety and removing impaired drivers from our roadways,” said chief of police Bryan Larkin in a release. “Road safety is everyone’s responsibility and we continue to be determined to maintaining road safety in our community.”

In Wellington County, OPP conducted 112 R.I.D.E checks throughout the campaign and charged a total of 29 people with impaired driving offences (including refusal to provide a breath sample) and 30 more people received warning range suspensions.

DECEMBER 29

■ 6:00 PM | Unknown occupants of a white pickup truck repeatedly fired a paintball gun at the side of a horse and buggy in the area of Lions Park in Elmira. Police believe the incident is connected to another on Dec. 22 when a pickup truck was observed driving into the parking lot of the Floradale Parochial School. Shortly after the truck entered the parking lot, rapid sounds of popping were heard coming from the school. It was later discovered that someone had entered the school and used a paintball gun to spray the main basement room and classroom. As a result of the investigation, on January 8 four youths were jointly charged with ‘break and enter’ and ‘mischief under $5,000’ in relation to the Floradale Parochial School incident. Three youths and one adult were jointly charged with ‘mischief under $5,000’ for the horse-and-buggy incident. A search warrant resulted in the seizure of a paintball gun and 202 paintballs. Investigators believe both incidents are related and are not believed to be targeted against the Mennonite community. Anyone with information regarding these two incidents is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.

JANUARY 6

■ 9:05 AM | Wellington County OPP responded to a fail-to-remain collision involving a black sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a transport truck at the intersection of Wellington Road 18 and Wellington Road 29. Approximately 30 minutes later the SUV was involved in a gas drive-off from a business located on Tower Street in Fergus. Police viewed the video footage and were able to confirm the identity of the driver, who was known to police. Police also confirmed that the vehicle had been taken without the owner’s consent. Officers were able to stop the motor vehicle and the suspect was taken into custody. Police searched the vehicle incident to arrest and seized a large quantity of methamphetamine and cash. A 29-year-old Fergus man faces numerous charges, including three counts of ‘fail to comply with a probation order.’

JANUARY 7

■ 11:00 PM | Waterloo Regional Police responded to the area of Hillfield Drive in New Hamburg for a collision. The male driver of an SUV lost control of his vehicle and struck a house on Hillfield Drive. There were no injuries to any of the occupants of the home, however, due to the damage, the home was deemed uninhabitable. The driver was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. As a result of the investigation, a 44-year-old London man was charged with ‘impaired operation of a motor vehicle,’ ‘over 80’ and ‘dangerous driving.’