Driver crashes pickup truck then fails breath test

The driver of a full sized pickup truck, who overturned his vehicle near Kelowna’s downtown, faces potential criminal impaired driving charges.

On Thursday May 20 just after 1:30 a.m., a Kelowna RCMP officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop with a white Ford F350 truck in the area of Harvey Avenue and Ethel Street. The truck refused to stop and allegedly fled at a high rate of speed eastbound on Bernard Avenue.

A short time later, patrolling officers located the vehicle over an embankment on Bernard Avenue near Burtch Road. The truck left the travelled portion of the roadway, struck several poles and barriers before coming to rest on it’s roof.

“The driver, who was not seriously injured, was located trapped inside the overturned vehicle. RCMP officers noted signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment,” Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy, spokesperson for the Kelowna RCMP, stated. “The breath demand was provided to the man, who was taken to the Kelowna RCMP Detachment for breath testing. The driver provided samples of his breath, which were more than twice the legal limit.”

The 21-year-old Kelowna man was released from custody for a future court date, with the final decison on charges up to the BC Prosecution Service.