SE OPP Wawa – Driver charged with Operation while Impaired after failing to lower high beams

On December 23, 2019, at approximately 10:30 p.m., a member of the Superior East Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) was conducting traffic enforcement on Highway 17 in Bailloquet Township, Ontario. Police crossed paths with a southbound motor vehicle and the driver failed to lower the high beams.

Police conducted a traffic stop and detected the odour of cannabis emanating from the vehicle. Officers conducted a Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST) roadside and the driver failed. The driver was subsequently transported to the Wawa OPP Detachment for examination by a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

As a result of the investigation, Menaab AMANUEL, 24 years of age, from Scarborough, Ontario, was charged with the following:

• Operation while impaired – blood drug concentration, contrary to section 320.14(1)(c) of the Criminal Code (CC),
• Drive vehicle or boat with cannabis readily available, contrary to section 12(1) of the Cannabis Control Act (CCA),
• Fail to use lower beam – oncoming, contrary to section 168(a) of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA).

The driver was issued a 90-day Automatic Driver’s Licence Suspension (ADLS), and the vehicle was impounded for 7 days.

The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice on February 10, 2019, in Wawa, Ontario.

The OPP remind motorists that no amount of alcohol or drug is safe to consume and then drive. Report impaired drivers. Should you observe a suspected impaired driver, please dial 911 or contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122.