MUSKOKA — Police here responded to an average of one impaired driving charge per day the past six days.

In south Muskoka it was four in four days and two last night in separate accidents in north Muskoka.

Yesterday, at 7:10 p.m., January 29, OPP were dispatched to a local restaurant off Howland Drive after a driver put their vehicle in motion and it struck the building.

The investigation revealed the driver to be under the influence of alcohol.

As a result, Benjamin Longpre, 42, of Huntsville, was charged with: Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus); and Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs.

Longpre is to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on February 25, 2025.

His vehicle was impounded for seven days and he received a 90 Administrative Driver’s license Suspension.

Almost two hours later, at 8:59p.m., officers were dispatched to a vehicle that hit in a snow bank on Muskoka Rd. 3 North in Huntsville.

Upon arrival, police spoke with a witness who indicated they believed the driver was intoxicated.

After an investigation, Tiffany Gallant-Macedo, 38, of Huntsville Ontario, was also charged with: Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus); and Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs.

Gallant-Macedo is to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on March 11, 2025.

Her vehicle was impounded for seven days and she received a 90 Administrative Driver’s Licence Suspension.

Last week in south Muskoka four drivers over the course of four days were charged with impaired driving.

On Friday January 24, at 8:30 p.m., officers were conducting a RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) program on Maple Street in Port Carling.

They say that after an interaction with the driver of a vehicle, police arrested and charged 34-year-old Kody Ferren, of Oshawa, with Operation While Impaired CC 320.14(1)(b) and Operation While Prohibited under the Criminal Code CC 320.18(1)(a) X 2.

Ferren is to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on February 25, 2025 to answer to his charges.

On Sunday, January 26, at 1:40 p.m. police were patrolling in commercial parking lots near Edward Street in Gravenhurst when they became concerned about the conduct of a driver.

Officers commenced an investigation and subsequently arrested and charged 33-year-old Mateusz Rodykow, of Gravenhurst with Operation While Impaired CC 320.14(1)(b) and Obstruct Peace Officer CC 129(a) along with several Highway Traffic Act Offences.

Rodykow is to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on February 25, 2025 to answer to his charges.

Later that day, Sunday January 26, 2025, at 4:45 p.m., as a result of a temporary highway closure on Muskoka Road 169 in Gravenhurst, an officer was speaking with motorists to redirect them around the closure.

The officer became concerned about the condition of one driver and began an investigation into his ability to drive.

As a result, police arrested and charged 42-year-old Michael Rockey, of Gravenhurst, with Operation While Impaired-Drug CC 320.14(1)(a).

Rockey is to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on February 25, 2025 to answer to his charge.

On Tuesday January 28, at 1:40 p.m., police responded to a concern from a member of the public about a person in a vehicle on Alice Street in Bracebridge.

Officers arrived and were able to rouse the driver and entered into an impaired driving investigation.

Police arrested and charged 37-year-old Ashley Gray, of Brock Twp., with Operation While Impaired-Drug CC 320.14(1)(a).

Gray is to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on February 25, 2025 to answer to her charge.

Orillia impaired driving charges soar

This as Orillia in Orillia laid 420 impaired related charges in 2024.

According to a release from them last week, this increase sees the Orillia OPP detachment officers charging a driver with impaired related charges roughly every twenty-one (21) hours, a concerning amount.

They call it a staggering amount, up almost 25 per cent from the 304 charges they laid in 2022 and up almost 14 per cent from 340 charges laid in 2023.