Calgary police say charges are pending against a driver suffering from an overdose who crashed into several cars before losing consciousness on Wednesday evening.
Police said it was about 9 p.m. when they started receiving multiple reports of a gold minivan being driven erratically in south Calgary.
“Complainants expressed to us that they felt the driving of this van was putting other motorists at risk,” Duty Staff Sgt. Rob Anderson said.
“Over approximately a 10 to 15-minute period, we received complaints of nine separate hit-and-runs northbound on Deerfoot Trail and then westbound on Glenmore Trail.”
As police were attempting to locate the vehicle it became involved in a crash in the area of Glenmore Trail and 37 Street S.W.
When they arrived, officers found the driver unconscious and not breathing.
“It’s only thanks to the expertise of the [CPS] members who arrived on scene so quickly that they were able to recognize the signs and symptoms of this overdose.”
The driver was taken into custody by police, and then transported to the hospital to be treated for the overdose as well as injuries sustained in the crash.
“The primary charge that we’re looking at right now is impaired driving by drug,” Anderson added.
He said police deal with “many” opioid overdoses each day but added it’s still “relatively uncommon” for police to confront drivers impaired by opioids.
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