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."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.