ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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MIDLAND, ON - Members of the OPP Marine Unit attached to the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) while on patrol on Midland Bay near the Town Dock stopped a vessel at 1:42 p.m. July 1, 2020, for a vessel operation violation. The officers noted that the operator had been drinking and entered into a drinking and driving investigation starting with a breath sample on the Roadside Screening Device (RSD) providing a "fail" result.
Further inspection of the vessel resulted in a quantity of liquor being seized and the operator was transported to detachment for further investigation resulting in Jeffrey Roy Petelka 30 years of Georgian Bay Township being charged with the following incident related offences.
- Operation while impaired - blood alcohol concentration (80 plus) contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada and further
- Operate vessel underway with open Liquor contrary to the Liquor Licence Act
The accused driver's licence has been suspended for 90 days under the conditions of the Administrative Drivers Licence Suspension (ADLS) and was released from police custody on a recognizance to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Midland on Sept. 10, 2020.
Police remind vessel operators that an essential part of our enforcement effort is to save lives and reduce injuries on our waterways while promoting and educating the public about safe boating practices.
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