The Victoria Police Department had to deal with an unexpected intruder in one of its patrol cars during an early morning traffic stop over the weekend.
Around 2 a.m. Sunday (Jan. 15), officers were flagged down by a motorist who reported a driver had blown through two red lights and was driving erratically.
Officers found the suspect vehicle and pulled it over in the 500-block of Kingston Street and noticed the driver “displayed clear signs of impairment by drugs,” according to a news release.
The officer conducted a field sobriety test on the motorist, who initially cooperated but then refused to continue, resulting in a 24-hour driving ban and their vehicle being impounded.
As a police supervisor who had arrived on scene returned to their patrol car, they discovered “a subject had made an unauthorized entry” into it.
During a drug impaired driving investigation Sunday morning officers discovered an unauthorized occupant in their Patrol vehicle. Driver issued 24hr prohibition & vehicle towed. Unauthorized occupant released at roadside w/out charge. https://t.co/lZxqaHqusa #yyj #yyjtraffic pic.twitter.com/f7H0VypGq0
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) January 16, 2023
Video taken by the supervisor and published by police shows a black cat sitting contently on the dashboard of the police cruiser, seemingly paying no attention to the officer as they filmed it. Police said the cat was “released roadside without charges.”
Police are using the incident to remind motorists not to drive impaired and that police are always on the lookout for potential impaired drivers.
Anyone who sees a suspected impaired driver is encouraged to call 911 and report them.
READ MORE: Wanted man in Victoria found in Vancouver after evading police for 4 months
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroom@vicnews.com.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
