Three-time drunk driver gets 60 days of house arrest

A three-time drunk driver has been sentenced to house arrest.

On the night of Jan. 28, 2023, the man was driving east on River Road East near Conway Drive in Kitchener. His car crossed over into westbound traffic, then left the road and hit a hydro pole at a high rate of speed.

The man, 45, informed a paramedic he had been drinking, Kitchener court was told on Tuesday. A firefighter described him as “hammered.”

“While he was trying to exit the ambulance, he was unable to maintain balance,” said Crown prosecutor Anita Etheridge. “He attempted to walk approximately 40 feet to the police cruiser where he nearly fell forwards onto the pavement.”

A breath test 75 minutes after the crash revealed the Kitchener man had three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.

“He could have easily hurt, killed, maimed somebody,” Etheridge said.

The man pleaded guilty to driving with more than the legal limit of alcohol in his blood. He was convicted of drunk driving in 2014 and 2002.

“Clearly this man has a longstanding history with alcohol abuse,” Etheridge said. “That is an issue he has to deal with. He’s not allowed to drive (after drinking). He’s not getting that point. Most likely he won’t kill himself. He will kill other people.”

Etheridge sought 45 days in jail. Defence lawyer Bruce Ritter recommended house arrest. He noted his client would serve only a portion of a jail sentence, but will serve every day of house arrest.

His elderly father requires his assistance around the house, Ritter said.

Justice Katherine Neill sentenced the man to 60 days of house arrest. He will wear a GPS-monitoring bracelet. She also banned him from driving for three years and put him on probation for one year. He can’t drink alcohol. He must take substance abuse counselling.

“I hope this gives you the message that you’ve got to stop,” the judge said.

“This is a very, very serious charge and your readings were extremely high. You have to understand that we could be here today on an even more serious charge because you could have hurt someone seriously, even killed (them).”

The man has already paid a steep price, Ritter said. His car was a writeoff and insurance won’t pay because he was impaired. He now faces a $25,000 loan on a destroyed car.

A breath test 75 minutes after the crash revealed the Kitchener man had three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood