Victoria driver with 19 prohibitions for drinking and driving, caught again

VANCOUVER – A 49-year-old woman with a history of 19 prohibitions for impaired driving under the Motor Vehicle Act and the Criminal Code has been caught drinking and driving again.

Victoria Police say on Monday morning a K9 unit spotted a car at around 4 a.m. travelling on Gorge Road East, when it swerved into the officers’ lane. The car then accelerated away and the officers followed. When the vehicle made a U-turn and returned to Gorge Road East it stopped in a parking lot. Police say the driver appeared to be highly intoxicated and allegedly attempted to walk away from the vehicle and was promptly detained.

Criminal Code driving bans are rare, and police say the fact this driver had them underscores the seriousness of her previous convictions.

“This is the type of driver who kills people,” acting Sgt. Graeme LeBlanc said. “We’ve done what we can under our powers to protect the public and get her what help we can, but this driver needs medical intervention. Regardless of her condition, by repeatedly getting behind the wheel while impaired she is putting others at risk.”

When officers pulled the woman over early Monday morning she was actively prohibited from driving in Canada three times and actively suspended under the Motor Vehicle Act twice for impaired driving.

Under previous conditions, both an interlock device and driver assessments were ordered before she was to get behind the wheel but police say neither of these conditions were met at the time of her arrest.

The driver was taken to hospital as officers were concerned about her medical well-being due to her extreme level of intoxication. She was also issued an immediate suspension from driving and her car was impounded. She was released from custody on a promise to appear on impaired driving charges, driving while prohibited under the Motor Vehicle Act and driving while prohibited under the Criminal Code.