18-Year-Old Charged With Impaired Driving in Owen Sound’s Downtown Core
An 18-year-old Owen Sound man is facing impaired and novice driver charges after a traffic stop in the city’s downtown early Dec. 20. Police say he was over the legal alcohol limit.
An 18-year-old man from Owen Sound has been charged with impaired driving after police pulled over a vehicle in the early morning hours of Friday, December 20, in the city’s downtown core.
According to the Owen Sound Police Service, officers responded around 2 a.m. to a report of a suspected impaired driver traveling through a residential area. The vehicle was located shortly after, and a traffic stop was conducted.
Police say the driver had consumed an unknown amount of alcohol, and a roadside test confirmed that his blood alcohol concentration was above the legal limit.
The man was arrested and taken to a qualified breath technician for further testing. He has since been charged under the Criminal Code with impaired operation of a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 80 mg per 100 ml.
Because of his age and licence class, the driver also faces two provincial charges under the Highway Traffic Act: one for being a novice driver with alcohol in his system, and another for being a young driver with a blood alcohol concentration above zero — both of which carry automatic penalties in Ontario.
Police say the man’s driver’s licence was immediately suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle he was operating has been impounded for seven. He was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court in January 2026.
While police did not specify which part of downtown the incident took place in, or whether the vehicle belonged to the accused, the case highlights the ongoing risk of impaired driving — particularly involving new and young drivers — during the holiday season. At 18, the accused is below Ontario’s legal drinking age of 19.
Owen Sound Police are encouraging the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspected impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1.
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