NEWS RELEASE
YORK REGIONAL POLICE
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Over the past week, 23 drivers were charged with impaired-related criminal driving offences and their vehicles removed from York Region roads.
On Wednesday, May 1, 2019, at midnight, police received a call to 9-1-1 for a suspected impaired driver on Dufferin Street in the area of Major Mackenzie Drive. The caller advised that they were following a van that was swerving all over the road. Officers located the suspect vehicle driving on Dufferin Street north of King Road and conducted a traffic stop. Officers spoke with the driver who smelled of alcohol. He was given a roadside breath test which he failed. Further investigation revealed that the driver was under a driving prohibition for a previous impaired driving conviction.
Charged:
• Pushpinder Randhawa, 37, City of Brampton
Charges:
• 80 plus
• Operation of a motor vehicle while prohibited
• Fail to comply with recognizance x2
A list of all the drivers charged with impaired-related criminal driving offences from April 29, to May 6, 2019 follows:
• Christina Vaillancourt, 28, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville
• Sabrina Spagna, 28, City of Vaughan
• Michael Venittelli, 34, City of Toronto
• Anatolij Katz, 59, City of Toronto
• Steven Bain, 57, Town of Georgina
• Pushpinder Randhawa, 37, City of Brampton
• Yanqing Wag, 22, City of Richmond Hill
• Kelly Sanders, 52, Town of Newmarket
• Tyrel Charles, 19, City of Markham
• Jahmar Donald, 29, City of Toronto
• Christopher Oosterhuis, 45, Town of Georgina
• Kevin Ptasiuk, 23, City of Vaughan
• Pouria Edalat-Hami, 32, City of Richmond Hill
• Joshua McCormick-Simiana, 22, City of Markham
• Andrew Robinson, 41, City of Brampton
• Terry Tanis, 29, No fixed address
• Daria Mitrofanova, 33, Township of King
• Brendan Elliot-Poulton, 23, Township of Brock
• Vincent CHUNG, 33, City of Richmond Hill
• Calvin Salmon, 37, City of Brantford
• Ciara Paul, 26, Town of East Gwillimbury
• Kenneth MacLeod, 59, Town of Georgina
• Ojay Eke, 61, City of Vaughan
York Regional Police thanks members of the community for helping us stop and arrest impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1. We consider these incidents a life-threatening crime in progress and will continue to respond to these calls. So far in 2019, more than 950 calls to 9-1-1 have helped to safely remove impaired drivers from our roads, which has led to more than 550 impaired-related criminal charges being laid.
The legal consequences of an impaired driving charge can include roadside vehicle impoundment and automatic driver’s licence suspension, as well as further consequences imposed by the courts, including longer licence suspensions, large fines and in some cases, jail time.
We are reminding drivers that York Regional Police conducts RIDE spot checks year round and that our officers are always watching for suspected impaired drivers. We also continue to encourage citizens to call 9-1-1 if you spot a suspected impaired driver, as impaired driving is a crime in progress.
We’re not giving up.
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