A 55-year-old Edmonton man is facing impaired driving charges after a late-night crash on Highway 17 near Iron Bridge.
Emergency crews, including Ontario Provincial Police, paramedics, and fire services, were called around 11:45 p.m. on March 25 following reports of a vehicle in a ditch. Due to unclear initial details, responders searched the area before a nearby resident reported a vehicle off the road across the Mississagi River with its horn sounding.
Police arrived shortly after 1 a.m. and found a damaged red SUV with deployed airbags. The driver, who was alone and seated in the passenger seat, showed signs of alcohol impairment. Officers also noticed a liquor bottle inside the vehicle.
He was taken to hospital in Blind River and later released. At the police station, he refused to provide a breath sample.
The man has been charged with impaired driving and refusing a breath test. He is scheduled to appear in court in Elliot Lake on May 7. His licence has been suspended for 90 days, and his vehicle was impounded for one week.