Drunk driving victim’s dad patrols Winnipeg streets

WINNIPEG — The father of a Winnipeg man killed in a drunk driving crash is taking the battle against impaired driving to city streets.

Les Yasinsky’s 22-year-old son Brett was killed five years ago in a crash on McPhillips Street at the Perimeter Highway by a driver with a blood alcohol level approximately five times the legal limit.

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Now, Yasinsky keeps an eye on places where people are drinking, in the hopes of catching impaired drivers.

“I’ll pull in behind, I’ll follow them, watch them as they’re driving, call 911 let 911 know where I am, what’s happening, wait for them to come and let them do their thing,” he said.

Yasinsky said his phone calls have led to five people being arrested, charged and prosecuted for impaired driving, “It does feel pretty good, you sit back and you go home and you say I got another one off the road, somebody’s going to be alive tonight and somebody’s not dead because of that one person.”

Primarily he goes out on Friday and Saturday nights, although he will watch for impaired drivers if he has spare time.

It helps him cope with losing his son, “This was just my way for Brett to do this and say hey, I’m out there. If you see me, you see me, if you don’t, I’m still there.  You’re going to get caught,” he said.

Winnipeg Police encourage people who suspect someone may be driving impaired to call them.

They support what Yasinsky is doing, as long as there are no confrontations, “While we appreciate that extra set of eyes and ears on the street, if it moves into that realm of vigilantism where he’s going to take action himself then it becomes dangerous and we wouldn’t condone that,” said Winnipeg Police Staff Sgt. Rob Riffle.

Yasinsky hopes others will join him in trying to stop impaired drivers, “I’m hoping that other people … go to other areas of town, park at their bars, sit, relax, have a coffee and watch and that’s all you gotta do.”