An American driver is facing serious charges after a driving complaint led to a traffic stop in the Upper Ottawa Valley (UOV) area on February 3. At around 2:30 p.m., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to reports of a possible impaired driver on Highway 17 in Whitewater Region Township. Officers located the vehicle quickly and performed a traffic stop as it turned onto Murphy Road.
The driver, 43-year-old Benjamin Lee from Chesapeake, Virginia, was arrested at the scene. He was transported to the UOV OPP detachment for testing, where his blood alcohol concentration was found to be more than three times the legal limit.
Lee has been charged under the Criminal Code with two offences: operation while impaired by alcohol and operation with a blood alcohol concentration over 80 mg. In addition to the charges, Lee’s driver’s license has been suspended for 90 days, and his vehicle was towed and impounded for seven days.
The UOV OPP continues to remind the public of the dangers and legal consequences of impaired driving.
(Written by: Emma Butler)
