Citizen’s call helps nab erratic driver

A timely 911 call by an alert civilian enabled Whitehorse RCMP to nab an impaired driver Tuesday morning at the traffic circle on Robert Service Way.

A timely 911 call by an alert civilian enabled Whitehorse RCMP to nab an impaired driver Tuesday morning at the traffic circle on Robert Service Way.

At about 7:14 a.m. Tuesday, police received a 911 call from a member of the public who witnessed a person who appeared to be intoxicated drive away from a local hotel.

The civilian provided a good description of the vehicle and where it was headed, which allowed police to immediately respond, police said Wednesday.

A constable was proceeding up Robert Service Way when she observed the suspected impaired driver pass her in the opposite direction.

The officer turned around and caught up to the vehicle. She attempted to pull it over with her emergency equipment activated, but the driver initially failed to stop, police said.

The vehicle entered the traffic circle at the foot of Robert Service Way, where it ran over the centre curb, a yield sign and a Parks Canada sign.

The driver reversed his vehicle in an apparent attempt to leave the scene. The vehicle came to a stop after colliding with the police vehicle.

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was arrested at the scene on several charges, including impaired driving, police reported.

Morning traffic was briefly diverted in the opposite direction in the traffic circle under the direction of RCMP officers.

“We are grateful to the witness who used 911 to call in this driver,” said RCMP spokesman Sgt. Don Rogers.

“With school beginning this week, it may have prevented this driver from going into areas where children were preparing to go to school.”

A 62-year-old Whitehorse man is in custody and appeared in territorial court Wednesday, after which he was released on conditions.

He faces charges of impaired driving, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

Court documents show Chester Kendra, 62, was arrested Tuesday and charged with those offences.

Kendra has two previous impaired driving convictions within the last 10 years.

RCMP in Whitehorse and and the territory’s traffic division will be conducting radar enforcement in all school zones throughout Whitehorse over the coming weeks.