At approximately 10:45 p.m. on August 9, 2026, a concerned community member contacted the Owen Sound Police Service after observing a male who had been consuming alcohol and was preparing to leave a residence on a mobility scooter.

Officers attended the residence and spoke with the individual. After being educated on impaired driving laws and the legal consequences of operating a mobility scooter while impaired, the male agreed to leave the scooter parked and make alternate arrangements. He advised officers that he would return to retrieve the scooter at a later date.

Approximately 30 minutes later, police received a second report indicating that the same individual had returned to the residence and was observed leaving on the mobility scooter.

Officers located the male a short distance away in the middle of the roadway consuming an alcoholic beverage. A roadside screening test was administered, resulting in a "Fail" reading. The individual was subsequently arrested and transported to the Owen Sound Police Service for further testing. Additional breath tests confirmed that his blood alcohol concentration exceeded the legal limit.

As a result of the investigation, a 65-year-old Owen Sound resident has been charged with:

• Operation While Impaired – Alcohol
• Operation While Impaired – Blood Alcohol Concentration Over 80 mg

The accused was later released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice later this month.

Public Reminder

The Owen Sound Police Service would like to remind the public that operating a mobility scooter while impaired by alcohol or drugs is a criminal offence in Canada. Mobility scooters are motor-powered vehicles and are considered motor vehicles under the Criminal Code of Canada. As such, impaired driving laws apply to their operation in the same manner as other motor vehicles.

The Owen Sound Police Service thanks members of the public for their vigilance and encourages anyone who observes suspected impaired driving to report it immediately.