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Nanaimo woman charged after driving her car down boat ramp into the water

Driver allegedly refused to provide breath sample following mishap
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Woman charged with failure to provide breath sample after car driven into Newcastle Channel. (File photo)

A Nanaimo woman has been given a driving prohibition after she drove her car down Brechin Boat Ramp and into the water last night.

A woman has been charged with allegedly failing to provide a breath sample and had her car impounded after she drove it into Newcastle Channel, say RCMP.

According to police, bystanders rushed to help a woman after her Volkswagen came to a stop in the water shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday.

“The car was seen accelerating and going into the water,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “It was starting to sink so a couple people nearby, before the car became submerged, they were able to take the lady out of the water.”

O’Brien said the Good Samaritans took the woman to their vehicle to keep warm until emergency services arrived.

“Paramedics checked her over. She refused medical care,” O’Brien said. “We got there. There was a strong odour of liquor. Officers formed a conclusion that there was some alcohol involved. They asked her to provide a breath sample. She refused. She was charged for that. She was given a prohibition from driving and the vehicle was impounded.”

Police are investigating other factors that might have contributed to the incident.

READ ALSO: Senior pulled from vehicle after driving into Newcastle Channel

A driver with no insurance was ticketed for driving 175 kilometres per hour in a 90km/h zone on the Nanaimo Parkway, say RCMP…

Posted by Nanaimo News Bulletin on Friday, November 6, 2020



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Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
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