B.C. man convicted 21st time for impaired driving, believed to be most in Canadian history: police
A B.C. man has been sentenced to nearly five years in jail after receiving his 21st conviction for impaired driving — which police believe to be the most in Canadian history.
In a news release Friday, the Abbotsford Police Department said it responded to a report of a motorcycle accident in the 1800 block of Clearbrook Road on the evening of Aug. 15, 2022.
The owner of the motorcycle was known to police for having a history of prohibited and impaired driving offences.
"Upon police arrival, a passenger of the motorcycle was being treated by first responders for serious injuries," police said in the release. "The driver who attempted to flee the scene before police arrival was identified with the assistance of witnesses."
Throughout the course of the investigation, the driver — 66-year-old Roy Heide — was arrested for driving while prohibited and he was detained for an impaired driving investigation.
Police said Heide's blood alcohol content was determined to be more than two times the legal limit.
On Dec. 18, 2023, Heide pleaded guilty to impaired driving, driving while disqualified and driving while prohibited — receiving a total sentence of four years and 354 days in jail for the incident.
"What's incredibly concerning is that this conviction represented Mr. Heide's 21st conviction for impaired driving, which is believed to be the single most convictions for impaired driving offences someone has received in Canadian history."
Police added that 870 impaired drivers were removed from Abbotsford roadways in 2022, and nearly 800 impaired drivers have been removed so far in 2023.
"Impaired driving can have devastating consequences to innocent road users as a result of an impaired driver's decision to drive impaired," Sgt. Paul Walker said in the release. "Our frontline officers continue to be out enforcing impaired driving laws and taking a zero-tolerance approach to driving while impaired. We continue encouraging our community to report possible impaired drivers to the police."
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