Saanich police shut down a block of Shelbourne Avenue early-Sunday morning after a driver who had alcohol in their system crashed into a telephone pole. (Photo: Saanich police)

Block of Shelbourne Avenue temporarily closed after ‘asleep’ driver crashes into pole Sunday morning

The driver had alcohol in their system and told police they fell asleep behind the wheel

  • Apr. 4, 2021 12:00 a.m.

Saanich police shut down a block of Shelbourne Avenue early-Sunday morning after a driver who had alcohol in their system crashed into a telephone pole.

The Shelbourne block, between McRae Avenue and North Dairy Road, was shut down around 3:45 a.m. after the novice-level driver told police they fell asleep at the wheel before crashing into the pole. The driver wasn’t injured in the crash and was issued a 12-hour suspension for having alcohol in their system.

A tweet from Saanich police’s Traffic Safety Unit reminded drivers that Class 7 licence restrictions require drivers to have zero blood alcohol and blood drug content.

Emergency crews also responded to a house fire in Sidney that sent one person to the hospital on Saturday night.

Fire crews from Sidney, North Saanich, Central Saanich and Sidney RCMP had extinguished the fire by just after 9:30 p.m. A tweet from Sidney fire said further damage to the home was prevented by the crews’ quick response.

Saanich fire crews also responded to the smell of smoke at a residence earlier in the day on Saturday. They found that the fridge motor was overheating and the home had no functional smoke detectors. Saanich firefighters installed two new detectors and issued a notice to the landlord.

READ: BC Ferries vessel returns to dock, passenger detained by RCMP for violating COVID-19 orders


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Goldstream News Gazette