BC Highway Patrol officers arrested a drunk taxi driver from Delta last Tuesday and towed away his car. The driver was arrested when a BC Highway Patrol officer saw the unnamed taxi leaving a liquor store with no passenger. The officer decided it was important to check that the man behind the wheel was safe to drive.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

RICHMOND – BC Highway Patrol officers arrested a drunk taxi driver from Delta last Tuesday and towed away his car.

The driver was arrested when a BC Highway Patrol officer saw the unnamed taxi leaving a liquor store with no passenger. The officer decided it was important to check that the man behind the wheel was safe to drive.

On April 29 at 8:11 a.m., the BC Highway Patrol officer pulled over the yellow Toyota Prius taxi on Alexandra Road in Richmond, BC.

BC Highway Patrol’s Integrated Road Safety Unit (IRSU) is always on the lookout for impaired driving, even on a Tuesday morning, said Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. In this case, the driver was given a mandatory breath demand, and an Approved Screening Device gave two results of ‘fail’.

A taxi stopped at the side of the road with a BC Highway Patrol vehicle. The driver has received a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition

The taxi driver, a 33-year-old Delta man, lost his driver’s licence to a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition, and the taxi was towed and impounded for 30 days at the taxi company’s expense.

The vast majority of taxi drivers take their jobs seriously and are sober, says Corporal McLaughlin. But if you’re ever a passenger and you feel like something is wrong, do not hesitate to call the police right away. Your safety is our top priority.

This taxi, on a flat-deck tow-truck, was impounded after a BC Highway Patrol officer determined the driver was impaired.