A boater is facing numerous charges including impaired operation after police stopped a vessel on the Trent River Sunday afternoon.
Quinte West OPP conducting marine patrol duties on the Trent River spoke with the four occupants of a 17-foot metal-hulled boat north of Hickory Island, Trent Hills.
Police observed a quantity of unsealed cans of liquor and while conducting safety checks, noted a number of infractions, including no lifejackets on the vessel.
An impaired operation investigation resulted in the arrest of the driver who was transported to a local detachment for further tests.
The remaining passengers were provided with personal flotation devices and brought to shore by an operator who had a valid pleasure craft operator card.
Kevin Baird, 28 years old, is charged with:
– Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)
– Operating boat underway with unsealed container of liquid
– Operating non-human-powered pleasure craft without prescribed vessel safety equipment on board
– Permitting person to operate non-human-powered pleasure craft without personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person.
The accused is due to appear in a Cobourg court at a future date and was served with a 90-day Administrative Driver’s Licence Suspension (ADLS) in accordance with the Ministry of Transportation guidelines.
