Skip to content

Traffic forced to swerve to avoid impaired driver on wrong side of road during rush hour

An impaired driver repeatedly drove in oncoming lanes along Interurban and West Saanich roads during rush hour Monday.

Nobody was injured and no crashes were reported, as a red 1994 Ford Explorer made its way through Saanich and into Brentwood Bay around 6 p.m.

The Explorer nearly struck one vehicle head-on, and other astute drivers were forced to take evasive action to avoid collisions, Saanich police say.

Police arrested the man in Brentwood Bay on suspicions of alcohol impairment. Two breath samples he provided revealed he was two times the legal limit.

A 51-year-old Central Saanich man, who has two impaired driving convictions, was charged and will appear in court at a later date. He was slapped with a three-year driving suspension in 2006, and has been driving without a license since.

Police are looking to speak with any witnesses who encountered this driver along Interurban or West Saanich roads on Monday.

Anyone with information is asked to call Const. Jon Cawsey at 250-475-4321.

kslavin@saanichnews.com