A 36-year-old man was arrested in Nanaimo after being caught driving while impaired by drugs. A substantial amount of illicit substances and cash was also seized from his vehicle.
The driver was reported to Nanaimo RCMP by an observant motorist who witnessed him driving erratically, while going southbound near Superior Road and Highway 19A at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 24th.
The motorist followed the vehicle, described as Nissan Versa, at a safe distance and observed the driver showing telltale signs of impairment – like swerving all over the road, crossing the centre line, and speeding up then slowing down rapidly.
RCMP officers were able to quickly pinpoint the location of the impaired driver thanks to the witness, and arrested the 36-year-old for impaired driving and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
“This is an excellent example of how the public can assist officers in detecting impaired drivers,” said Cst. Gary O’Brien in a press release.
“At no time did the motorist put themselves in harms way and by providing accurate information, a potentially dangerous situation was averted.”
A search of his vehicle led to the seizure of almost 25 grams of crystal methamphetamine, just under 20 grams of suspected fentanyl, and $1920 dollars in cash.
His vehicle was subsequently towed and he was issued a 24-hour driving prohibition. Further charges based on the drug findings are pending as the investigation is currently ongoing.
This incident occurred just one day after several arrests and drug seizures were made in Nanaimo and parts of the lower mainland following a 10-month long police investigation.
