Pubdate: Sun, 07 Sep 2008
Source: Telegram, The (CN NF)
Copyright: 2008 The Telegram
Contact:  http://www.thetelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/303

DRUGGED DRIVING CHARGES LAID IN CORNER BROOK

A 32-year-old man is facing one of the province's first  drugged
driving charges.

Officers in Corner Brook arrested the man in the Main  Street area of
the west coast city overnight.

The man was allegedly driving under the influence of a
drug.

Officers released the man on a police undertaking to  appear in court
at a later date.

Drugged driving charges are relatively new in Canada,  with officers
given the authority to run certain  roadside tests, which drivers
could legally refuse in  the past.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has trained a large  number of its
officers to carry out the sobriety tests  in St. John's, Corner Brook
and Labrador west.

A smaller number of officers have undergone intensive  training, to do
a follow up blood, saliva or urine  test, should the driver fail or
refuse the initial  test.

Under the old law, police were obliged to tell drivers  suspected of
being high that roadside tests weren't  mandatory.

But as of this summer, refusing the test will be  considered a
criminal offence.

Drivers convicted of drug-impaired driving now face a  minimum $1,000
fine for a first offence and a month in  jail for a second conviction.
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MAP posted-by: Steve Heath