Enhanced Checkstops in area prove valuable

Between Saturday, December 10, at 4 pm and Sunday, December 11, at 2 am, the Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit conducted Enhanced Checkstops in the Didsbury, Acme, and Airdrie areas. Sheriff Jason Graw says they rounded up a few irresponsible drivers.

A total of 650 vehicles went through the Checkstop locations over the weekend. Over the course of the evening, several Traffic Safety Act and Criminal Code charges were laid:

• 4 - Impaired driving related charges
• 1 - Dangerous driving
• 1 - Other criminal code (CDSA)
• 8 - 24-hour drivers license suspensions for alcohol and/or drugs
• 1 - Driving without insurance
• 1 - Driving while unauthorized (suspended)
• 1 - Distracted driving
• 3 - Provincial traffic violations (no seatbelt, etc.)
• 2 - Criminal Code warrants executed

This particular Checkstop included:

• A 2010 Dodge Ram that made an abrupt u-turn as it approached the Checkstop location and fled at a high rate of speed. When officers caught up to the vehicle, they found the 22 year-old driver from Calgary had been drinking, and was wanted on unrelated warrants. The male was arrested without incident, and charged with two impaired driving offences and dangerous driving. He is scheduled to appear in Airdrie Provincial Court on January 26, 2012. Sheriff Jason Graw added that "This incident is of particular concern to us. Not only is the driver allegedly impaired by alcohol, but he has aggravated the situation by attempting to elude officers. In addition to the other users of the roadway that were put at risk by this individual, there was also a female passenger in the vehicle who was put at risk unnecessarily".
• As officers were returning to the Detachment at the end of the night, a 2008 Dodge Caravan was seen driving on the wrong side of the road on Edmonton Trail in Airdrie. Officers stopped the vehicle, and found that the 54 year-old male driver from Calgary had been drinking. The man was arrested without incident and subsequent breath samples showed that his blood alcohol level was allegedly twice the legal limit. He was charged with two impaired driving related offences and is scheduled to appear in Airdrie Provincial Court on February 2, 2012.
• A 26 year-old man from Edmonton was caught text messaging on his iPhone while driving northbound on the QEII north of Airdrie. The driver was so engrossed in his text conversation that he had trouble keeping his vehicle in the lane, and passed the officer who was driving a fully marked "Checkstop" unit. The driver was charged under Alberta's new "Distracted Driver" legislation. In relation to this incident, Sheriff Graw said "This individual should not have been as surprised as he was when he was pulled over by the officer. The fact that he had passed a marked enforcement vehicle without realizing it shows just how distracted he was behind the wheel. Obviously, this driver has put himself at an increased risk of causing a collision - and for that reason a ticket was issued."