Driver faces impaired charges after truck knocks out internet service in Dauphin

A woman accused of drunkenly crashing a pickup truck into an internet infrastructure box in Dauphin, knocking out service in the city, was arrested Monday night.

“This (was) unusual,” said Dauphin RCMP Sgt. Andrew Seeley of the chaotic spree. “This is more than we would normally see for a situation like this.”

RCMP were called by “numerous” residents about an impaired driver who had just left a beer vendor around 8:40 p.m.

Callers said the woman left in a white Ford F150 after she was denied service, then began to drive erratically down the road.

RCMP said the driver hit a parked vehicle in a lot, which then struck another parked car. The driver peeled out of the lot and hit a stop sign before driving onto the lawn of another business, where she ran over a Westman Communications box, knocking out internet service, police said.

The driver continued over the lawn and narrowly missed a telephone pole before getting stuck near the corner of Jackson Street and 1st Street Southwest at around 9 p.m., a bit less than a kilometre from the vendor.

“We’re thankful that the officers were able to find her so fast and take her into custody before there was more damage or people hurt,” said Seeley.

“It was at about 9 p.m., so there’s still people on foot… It’s a busy downtown area of Dauphin.”

Mounties arrested the woman, took her to the detachment, where she blew breath samples over the legal limit, police said.

RCMP said she pulled a fire alarm before she was placed in a cell, forcing the fire department to send crews to the detachment needlessly, said Seeley.

The sergeant applauded the people of Dauphin for calling in the impaired driver.

“Multiple people phoned us and that’s what allowed us to find her so fast… I’ve worked in a lot of communities and the support that we receive (here)… it is incredible, and we really appreciate it,” Seeley said.

“It’s a great community to work in.”

The woman is also accused of resisting arrest and uttering threats to an officer and another inmate at the detachment.

A 35-year-old woman from Ochre River is charged with a number of impaired driving offences, as well as mischief, uttering threats, resisting a peace officer and dangerous driving, among others charges.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca