THUNDER BAY – A group of children and a crossing guard narrowly averted disaster on Wednesday morning, when an alleged drunk driver barely missed striking them near Vance Chapman Public School.
Police, in a release issued on Thursday, said the accused, who was arrested parked near the school with a flat tire, was travelling westbound on Huron Avenue just after 9 a.m., between Otto and Shuniah streets, when he nearly collided with an eastbound vehicle.
The other driver was forced onto the boulevard to avoid the collision.
The suspected drunk driver then continued westbound in front of the elementary school, where a vehicle was stopped to allow a crossing guard to take the group of children safely across the road.
Rather than stopping, the driver then swerved into the bicyle lane on the right-hand side, nearly striking the crossing guard and the children in the process.
His vehicle came to a rest at the corner of Huron and Hudson avenues, leaking fluids. The front passenger-side tire was also heavily damaged.
When police located the driver he was already outside the vehicle and during the course of the investigation police determined the 43-year-old was intoxicated. Further investigation showed his blood-alcohol level was nearly double the legal limit.
The driver was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, operation while impaired and operation with impaired blood alcohol concentration.
The accused was released with a promise to appear in court on June 4.
Police did not name the suspect.
