Multiple people sent to hospital after series of alleged drunk driving crashes over the weekend: police
Several people were sent to hospital over the weekend as Waterloo regional police responded to seven crashes allegedly involving impaired drivers.
Between Nov. 18 and Nov. 20, WRPS said the crashes happened across Waterloo region, with two happening in Cambridge, two in Woolwich Township and one each in Kitchener, Waterloo and Wellesley Township.
"That's absolutely out of the norm, and it's an exceptional number given the weather conditions,” said WRPS Staff Sgt. Scott Griffiths.
Police said a crash on Old Chicopee Drive on Sunday evening sent three people to hospital with serious injuries. Another crash happened on Sunday in the area of Line 86 between Reid Woods Drive and Floradale Road in Woolwich Township that sent a 17-year-old girl to hospital with serious injuries.
Griffiths called the incidents concerning, pointing to several transportation alternatives that are available for those consuming alcohol or drugs.
“We do have drug-impaired driving arrests and collisions involving drug-impaired drivers, including this weekend, so we're not just talking about alcohol anymore,” said Griffiths.
On Friday, police said officers found a driver allegedly impaired by alcohol during a RIDE program. The driver was arrested and charged, their licence was suspended, and the car was impounded.
“It's not the easiest part of our job for sure, and having to say to somebody, 'they're in the hospital' or 'go see them immediately' is always the hardest part of our investigation,” said Griffiths.
For advocates against impaired driving, seeing a series of weekend crashes is disappointing.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Waterloo Region vice-president Scott Verhoeve said hundreds of people each year are convicted of impaired driving in the region alone.
“To hear seven in one weekend is saddening, it's a bit disheartening, but unfortunately, it's ongoing on a regular basis,” said Verhoeve.
The crashes come at the beginning of the annual Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) Campaign.
Launched on Nov. 17, the Festive RIDE Campaign is an annual provincial police enforcement and education initiative aimed at taking alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired drivers off the roads during the holiday season.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Government proposes new policy for federally regulated employees to disconnect from work
In their 2024 budget, the federal government wants to amend the Canada Labour Code, so employers in federally regulated sectors will eliminate work-related communication with employees outside of scheduled hours. If implemented, this would affect roughly 500,000 employees across the country.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
London
-
'Everyone is devastated': Hockey community mourns loss of young leader
The hockey community in Chatham-Kent and beyond is mourning the sudden death of a player caught in a highway crash this week in London.
-
New smart washroom the talk of Grand Bend
It’s not every day that a new washroom becomes the talk of the town. But in the Lake Huron tourist community of Grand Bend a new so-called smart washroom has many residents and business owners flush with joy.
-
Mud Creek channelling unique approach to infill development
Mud Creek in northwest London, Ont., east of Wonderland Road along Oxford Street is an area that has been left vacant for decades.
Windsor
-
Gas prices set to rise 'dramatically' Thursday
Many made a dash to the pumps because experts say the price of gas is set to rise Thursday.
-
'Everyone is devastated': Hockey community mourns loss of young leader
The hockey community in Chatham-Kent and beyond is mourning the sudden death of a player caught in a highway crash this week in London.
-
Parents advocate for 'certainty' amidst 'stressful' review of special education program
Parents of children with learning disabilities are seeking 'certainty' on the long-term status of a program that provides tailored special education support in language and math within schools.
Barrie
-
Death investigation launched after body washes onto Lake Couchiching shore
Provincial police are investigating after a man's body washed up on the shores of Lake Couchiching in Severn Township.
-
Tim Hortons Roll Up The Rim contest faces backlash amid another ‘technical error’
Tim Hortons Roll Up The Rim contest may be in hot water yet again after several customers received emails falsely congratulating them on winning the Tracker boat worth nearly $60,000.
-
Multi-vehicle collision involving a semi-truck halts traffic
A multi-vehicle collision involving a semi-truck snarled traffic in Barrie on Wednesday afternoon.
Northern Ontario
-
$200M arena decision ‘a big step’ for Sudbury’s future, mayor says
In a lengthy council meeting Tuesday night, city council in Sudbury unanimously voted to build a new arena and events centre downtown.
-
Sudbury murder suspect talked about his role in ‘his girl’ getting hurt, witness testifies
A former girlfriend of a murder suspect in Sudbury testified Wednesday that he talked about his role in the deaths a day after a firebombing that killed three people.
-
Body of missing man found, northern Ontario police say
The body of a missing man has been found after his vehicle was pulled into a northern creek on Saturday morning, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Ottawa
-
GAS PRICESGAS PRICES Ottawa gas prices expected to increase 14 cents a litre on Thursday
Ottawa motorists are being warned to expect a big hike in gasoline prices this week, as prices rise to the highest level since August 2022.
-
'We'd like to see it move faster': The push to increase activity in downtown Ottawa
Talk of transitioning federal buildings into housing has been in the works for a couple of years and it's a move that business leaders in Ottawa say can't come soon enough.
-
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Toronto
-
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
-
Toronto city council approves increased fines for more than 100 parking violations
Toronto councillors have voted in favour of increasing fines for more than 100 parking violations.
-
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Montreal
-
Quebec says presentation for anglophone parents could have been in English
In the latest example of the confusion surrounding Quebec's new language law, the education ministry has confirmed that a presentation delivered only in French to English-speaking parents last week could have been done in English after all.
-
Montreal police open fire on driver in suspected stolen vehicle intervention
Quebec's police watchdog has opened an investigation into a Montreal police (SPVM) intervention in the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough that ended with one person seriously injured.
-
Quebec to create seniors-focused mini-hospitals to relieve emergency room congestion
Halfway between a family medicine group (GMF) and a hospital, the Quebec government on Wednesday clarified its model for private mini-hospitals that will focus on the needs of seniors.
Atlantic
-
N.S. RCMP investigating sudden death in Bass River
The RCMP says it is investigating a sudden death in Nova Scotia’s Colchester County.
-
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
-
500 Newfoundlanders wound up on the same cruise and it turned into a rocking kitchen party
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
Winnipeg
-
'Totally wrong': Winnipeg man says landlord denied life-changing medical equipment
A Winnipeg man is raising a red flag after his landlord said no to health-care equipment that could change his life – a problem he believes is a human rights issue.
-
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
-
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Calgary
-
Woman, 61, killed in crash north of Coaldale, Alta.: RCMP
An Alberta woman was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on a highway north of Coaldale, Alta., on Wednesday morning.
-
'Blue Sky City': Calgary unveils new brand
Calgary has a new brand and it's looking up.
-
Alberta health minister confirms capacity strain after neonatal doctors sound alarm
Alberta's health minister says the province has "a bit of strain" in neonatal intensive care unit capacity but that there are beds available across the province.
Edmonton
-
More than 150 people reported crashes in Edmonton Wednesday
More than 150 people have reported vehicle crashes in Edmonton on Wednesday.
-
Oilers a fitting opponent for what could be Coyotes' last game in Arizona
In at least a couple of ways, it's fitting the Edmonton Oilers will be the Arizona Coyotes' final opponent before the Desert Dogs shed their Kachina-styled uniforms for whatever hues and themes may await them in Salt Lake City.
-
Attempted murder charge laid in Lloydminster assault case
A Lloydminster man has been charged with attempted murder after an assault at an apartment in that city.
Vancouver
-
B.C. asks anglers to help eradicate this sport fish common in the rest of Canada
The British Columbia government is encouraging anglers to pack their tackle boxes and head out to a remote lake on Vancouver Island as the province attempts to eradicate an invasive population of sport fish.
-
Nurses rally at B.C. Interior hospital over security, staffing concerns
Nurses held a rally Wednesday at a hospital in the B.C. Interior that closed its emergency department more than a dozen times last year due to insufficient staff.
-
Vancouver's airport named best in North America
Vancouver's airport has been named the best in North America for 2024, rising to the top of the rankings for the first time since 2021.
