Wobbly Steven Thomas hits road-painting crew's sign

CITY POLICE

NEWS RELEASES

************************* Driver arrested after his vehicle strikes a construction safety sign on Great Northern Road

Last evening around 11:27 p.m., the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service received a call regarding a possible impaired driver on Great Northern Road.

It is alleged that a male driver operating a 2001 Pontiac Montana van, struck a large orange reflector construction sign that was set up for a contracting company that was painting intersection road markings in front of the Cambrian Mall.

The driver failed to stop after the collision.

Moments later, officers on patrol in the area observed the Pontiac Montana van turn onto Tilley Road and stopped it.

At the time, they found the driver under the influence of alcohol and when they ran a check on him they discovered that he was a prohibited driver from a past consuming-over-the-legal-limit offence.

As a result, the driver, 46-year-old Steven Thomas of 13 Simon Avenue, has been charged with one count of impaired driving, one count of consuming over the legal limit, one count of driving while disqualified and one count of failing to remain at the scene of an accident under the Highway Traffic Act.

He is to appear in bail court this morning.

*************************** Cheque presentation - OACP substance abuse committee grant award

On behalf of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police substance abuse committee, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service is pleased to announce that a cheque in the amount of $500 was presented on June 24 to the local chapter of Ontario Students Against Impaired Drivers (OSAID), who made an application under the substance abuse grant program.

Tom Burmaster, chair of OSAID Inc. in Sault Ste. Marie accepted this cheque on Thursday, June 24 from Chief Bob Davies at the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services building.

Burmaster is shown above with Chief Davies.

The funding for this grant program through the OACP was obtained through the sale of the magazine Not For Adults at all A&P, Dominion, and Food Basics stores throughout Ontario.

The purpose of these grants is to foster relationships between the community and police.

For 2010, there were 47 grant applications received, 47 were accepted and awarded a total of $37,600.

Chief Davies stated: "We are appreciative of the funding provided by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police towards the worthwhile cause. It is good to see the students in our community become involved in educating others about the dangers of driving while impaired. It is a benefit for our whole entire community."

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