Grandmother charged with impaired driving and failure to remain

A 54-year-old Whitby grandmother who crashed her SUV, sending her baby grandson to hospital, is facing impaired driving charges. The woman couldn’t control her vehicle and drove it through a fence. After entering an intersection, she could not drive away because the damage to the SUV was so extensive.

The police took the grandmother and her grandson to hospital after finding them in their SUV. The boy was treated for minor cuts and scrapes and then released. The police then charged the woman with impaired driving and with failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

Both impaired driving and ‘failure to remain at the scene of an accident’ charges are serious. A ‘driving while impaired’ charge can carry a maximum penalty of a $2,000 fine, 18-month jail sentence and a 3-year driving prohibition. If the grandmother also faces an ‘impaired driving causing bodily harm’ charge, she could face a maximum penalty of a 10-year prison sentence, a 10-year driving prohibition and any fine the judge thinks is appropriate in the circumstances.

A ‘failing to remain at the scene of an accident’ charge could lead to penalties under either the Highway Traffic Act or the Criminal Code:

• Highway Traffic Act: a fine between $400 and $2,000, seven demerit points, a maximum of six months in jail, and a licence suspension for up to two years
• Criminal Code: imprisonment for up to five years

A person facing multiple driving offence charges should seek legal advice immediately. An experienced criminal defence lawyer may be able to help to have some or all of the charges reduced or dropped, or to prepare the best possible defence against the charges.