The Weyburn Police Service dealt with a pair of impaired drivers last Sunday in two separate incidents. The first happened in the early morning hours after an officer on patrol noticed a vehicle that was being driven erratically in the parking lot of a local bar. A traffic stop was attempted but the driver fled at a high rate of speed.  

“Through investigation, they were able to identify the driver, who was subsequently charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle, flight from police, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle,” said Deputy Police Chief Brent VanDeSype of the incident.  

The other incident came about thanks to the sharp eye of a member of the public. A call came into 9-1-1 through the RID program, or Report Impaired Drivers. The witness provided the description of a vehicle they believed may have had an impaired driver behind the wheel. The vehicle was found, and a traffic stop was conducted.  

The WPS said the driver was tested, and a positive result came back for the presence of a drug. The driver received a 60-day license suspension and a three-day vehicle impoundment as a result of the test.  

Deputy Chief VanDeSype said programs like RID are important to help keep impaired drivers off the road.  

“There’s a limited number of officers and we’re not always in the right place at the right time, so when the community sees something that is of concern – a safety concern or a criminal matter – we strongly encourage them to contact us and help make our community that much safer.”