Impaired driver caught after passenger flees

A woman running for her safety led police to an impaired driver on Monday morning.

St-Pierre-Jolys RCMP said in a Tuesday news release they received a call at 7:45 a.m. on Monday morning that a visibly upset female had been picked up near Richardson Road in the RM of Ritchot by a passing motorist concerned for her safety.

“The female advised the motorist that she had been a passenger in a nearby parked vehicle and that there was a male in that vehicle who was intoxicated and had a machete,” the news release stated. “The motorist obtained the licence plate as well as a description of the parked vehicle and provided it to police.”

RCMP responded and found the vehicle parked on the shoulder of Highway 59 near Provincial Road 210 in the RM of Ritchot.

As they approached, police said the driver was looking at his phone. When he noticed officers he put the vehicle in drive, attempted to flee and struck a police vehicle that had been positioned in front of him.

The driver, a 31-year-old male from Steinbach was arrested for impaired driving over .08, flight from police, mischief and resisting arrest.

His driver’s licence was suspended and his vehicle impounded before being released with a future court date.

The female, a 27-year-old from Winnipeg was not injured.