Atikokan man charged after reporting phantom impaired driver

ATIKOKAN, Ont -- Police have charged a man who made a false report of an impaired driver.

Officials with the OPP say the Rainy River Detachment received a 911 call shortly after 4:20 a.m. on Nov. 1. The caller reported an impaired driver.

Officers attended the scene, but an investigation revealed that the impaired driver reported never actually existed.

As a result, a 27-year-old Atikokan man was charged with common nuisance. He will appear in Atikokan provincial court on Dec. 18 to answer the charge.

The incident has police reminding the public that misuse of 911 can have serious consequences.

When a 911 call is made, officers are taken away from their current duties and the emergency response to a non-emergency situation can be a safety issue.

Members of the public are urged to call 911 for emergency response, whether it be police, fire or ambulance; but are urged not to misuse the service.