Soon-to-be married man passed out and impaired behind the wheel

A soon-to-be married man accused of being passed-out drunk in his car in the middle of the night plead guilty to two impaired driving charges in Steinbach court on July 4, just over a week before his wedding.

Danny Stiller, now 21, was unconscious in the driver’s seat of a Nissan Rogue at around 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 17, 2024.

A cab driver reported the vehicle which was facing the wrong direction of traffic on Old Tom Road in Steinbach.

As music played in the vehicle, the driver side door was locked but officers reached through the open driver’s rear window to unlock the doors, placed the vehicle in park, and turned off the car, all while Stiller was still unconscious.

His breathalyzer test was 250 milligrams, 0.25 percent, which is more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

He was held in a cell overnight due to the high-level of intoxication.

Stiller was drowsy, slow, and his eyes were red and glossy, court heard.

Crown attorney Jennifer Neufeld said this isn’t Stiller’s first time driving impaired. In January 2021, when he was 17, Stiller failed a breathalyzer test during a police stop and was given a six-month roadside prohibition.

“That should’ve been a wake-up call for Mr. Stiller,” said Neufeld.

Marc Zurbuchen, defence lawyer, said Stiller’s behaviour was out of character. He was home alone when he ran into some high school friends, then the group went to a bar and a house party.

“I want to keep emphasizing to you that should you engage in this behaviour again in the future. Jail is going to be the option. That is where you are going to end up,” said Judge Julie Frederickson.

Stiller was sentenced with a fine of $3,000 and a 12-month driving license suspension.

His wedding date is on July 12.