News release

Bay d'Espoir RCMP respond to erratic driving complaint, arrest impaired driver

March 23, 2026 - Bay d'Espoir, Newfoundland and Labrador
From: Newfoundland and Labrador RCMP

Content

A 26-year-old man was arrested and charged with refusing to provide a breath sample, after officers with Bay d’Espoir and Harbour Breton RCMP responded to a report of a possible impaired driver on Thursday afternoon.

Shortly after 12:30 p.m. on March 19, police in Grand Falls-Windsor received a call from a concerned resident about a possible impaired operator, driving erratically in the Scott Avenue area. Officers began patrols for the described vehicle and alerted nearby detachments.

The vehicle was located and stopped by police on Route 361. Officers with Bay d’Espoir and Harbour Breton RCMP spoke to the driver and determined that he was showing signs of impairment.  

The driver, 26-year-old man, was provided with a demand for a breath sample, which he refused.  He was arrested and charged with refusal or failure to comply with a demand. During a search of the car, police also located an open container of alcohol.

His vehicle was seized and impounded, and his driver’s licence was suspended.

The man is expected to appear in provincial court in May 2026.

Refusing to comply with a demand issued as part of an impaired operation investigation is a criminal offence. If convicted, this offence carries the same penalties as a charge of impaired operation.

Impaired operation of any motor vehicle — including all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles — is a choice that places the driver and all others at an unacceptable level of risk. If you suspect an individual is driving any type of vehicle while impaired, please call 911 to make a report.

Contacts