Drivers who drank their Game 7 sorrows away before hitting the road Wednesday night were met with road blocks in Saanich, resulting in a number of immediate roadside driving prohibitions (IRP).
Following the Canucks' loss to the Boston Bruins, Saanich police set up two brief road blocks in the 3400-block of Douglas St. and the 1300-block of McKenzie Ave.
On Douglas, north of the Red Lion Pub, one 24-hour suspension was issued, two three-day IRPs were handed out and one driver was slapped with a 90-day IRP. Another driver was charged with refusing to submit to a breathalyzer.
Two tickets were handed out on McKenzie Avenue, one three-day IRP and one 90-day IRP.
"This was a short, intense focus by our traffic safety officers, post-game, specifically targeting alcohol-related offences in the hockey viewing crowd," said Sgt. Dean Jantzen. "This is a surprising number (of IRPs) for such a short period of time."
Three-day IRPs are issued to drivers who blow in the “warn” range of .06 to .08. The 90-day IRPs are for drivers who fail the breathalyzer, with a blood alcohol level above .08.
kslavin@saanichnews.com