Driver fails RIDE check in big way
Police, members of MADD run for their lives as suspected drunk driver rams police car at full speed
Sep 02, 2007 04:30 AM
Rachel De Lazzer
Staff reporter

A suspected teenage drunk driver plowed into an early morning Toronto police Reduced Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) spot check causing $35,000 in damage to a police cruiser and sending officers and members of the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving diving for cover.

Staff Sgt. Steve Reynolds said five members from MADD as well as seven officers were operating a RIDE spot check on Bloor St. W. near Old Mill Dr. when a westbound 1996 Ford Explorer approached around 1 a.m. yesterday.

The 18-year-old driver of the Explorer, travelling at around 60 km/h without slowing down, plowed straight into the RIDE sign before taking out a number of traffic cones blocking off those operating the check and their vehicles. He then drove into the back of one of the parked, fully-marked police vehicles, which had its emergency lights activated, said Reynolds.

"It's wide open. You can see the set-up for quite a distance," said Sgt. Allan Finlay, who was on the scene at the time.

Everyone involved in the ride check saw it coming and was able to dive for cover in time. No one was injured.

"Luckily my officers ... were out of the vehicles at the time," said Finlay. "We managed to dive to secure spots and not get hit."

"He collapsed the entire trunk right into the back seat. There was glass all over the place," said Finlay.

Reynolds said the estimate didn't include damage to the Explorer and to a second vehicle that was struck when the driver pushed the severely damaged vehicle into another police car.

"The car is a write-off," said Finlay. He said although he's seen some unusual things, it's the first time he's ever encountered anyone driving into the RIDE check.

The teen was the only occupant in the vehicle.

"He was a little less than twice the legal limit," said Reynolds about the young man's blood alcohol level.

In all, police arrested around three people on drinking and driving charges on the overnight spot check, which ran from 11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. yesterday. Finlay said they stopped 800 people in total.

After a brief investigation, the teen was arrested and charged with impaired driving.

Reynolds said the teen's name is not being released.

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/252457

What stupid thing to "ride" into, LOL

MADD in Canada? I weep for Canada if those sob-story telling, lobbying degenerates get anything done up there.

Are you referring to the mothers of drunk driving victims degenerates?

Just the ones that are in MADD. I regard them with the same (dis)respect that I do advocates of abstinence-only education; for their extreme disservice to society. There is cause for concern over civil liberties at sobriety check points. I don't see why it's any less outrageous than a cop stopping you on the street and demanding you to pee in a cup for a drug test. Wikipedia has a good list of criticisms of the neo-prohibitionist fascists.