UPPER NINE MILE RIVER: Alcohol may have been a factor in a single-vehicle collision in Upper Nine Mile River on Oct. 16.
East Hants RCMP S/Sgt. Cory Bushell said upon police arrival, the investigation revealed the driver, a Halifax County man, was exhibiting signs of intoxication.
“The man was given a road side screening test which he failed,” said S/Sgt. Bushell. “Due to the nature of the crash, breath samples were not suitable for further analysis and the subject had to be taken to the hospital for blood samples to be drawn by a qualified physician.”
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He said in instances such as this, the RCMP relies on expert analysis by qualified RCMP lab technicians to determine if the subject was driving over the legal limit. Blood testing, like breath testing, determines the concentration, if any, of alcohol in a person’s blood.
In Canada, it is illegal to operate a motorized conveyance (such as a car), with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 g of alcohol in 100 ml of blood.
The driver’s licence was administratively suspended for the roadside screening fail.
S/Sgt. Bushell said police are certain alcohol played a role, however are trying to now determine if the concentration of alcohol in the blood was high enough to be criminal, and thus warrants a charge of driving while over the legal limit.
He said the matter remains under investigation pending results from the bloodwork at the lab.
