The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) 2025 Festive R.I.D.E. (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign commenced on November 20, 2025, and will continue until January 1, 2026. During the first week of the campaign from November 20-26, 2025, officers from the Upper Ottawa Valley (UOV) Detachment of the OPP conducted 35 RIDE checks throughout the detachment area.
During the RIDE checks drivers were found to be in full compliance with the law and no impaired driving or over 80mg charges were reported as a result of the RIDE campaign.
Despite the compliance at the RIDE checks, UOV OPP officers charged two drivers with impaired driving-related offences during the week.
On November 21, 2025, at approximately 2:50 p.m., police stopped a vehicle for speeding on B Line Road in Laurentian Valley Township. As part of the investigation a Roadside Screening Device was utilized, and the driver was transported to the detachment for further testing.
As a result of this incident a 42-year-old Brockville resident has been charged with the following Criminal Code (CC), Highway Traffic Act (HTA) and Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act (CAIA) offences:
· Operation while impaired – alcohol
· Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration 80mg plus
· Drive motor vehicle perform stunt – excessive speed
· Fail to have insurance card
The accused was released and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on December 16, 2025. The accused also had their driver’s licence suspended for 90 days and their vehicle was towed and impounded for 14 days.
On November 24, 2025, at approximately 12:45 a.m., members of the UOV OPP responded to a complaint of a parked vehicle blaring music on Wilson Avenue in the Town of Petawawa. The driver was arrested, and testing was conducted by a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) officer at the detachment.
As a result of this incident, a 24-year-old resident of Pembroke has been charged with the following CC, HTA and Cannabis Control Act (CCA) offences:
- Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs
- Possess more than one licence
- Have care and control of a vehicle with cannabis readily available
The accused was released and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on December 29, 2025. The accused also had their driver’s licence suspended for 90 days and their vehicle was towed and impounded for seven days.
(Steve Berard)