WINDSOR, ONT. -- Two Chatham men are facing charges after crashing into a snow-filled ditch.
Chatham-Kent police received information that a man driving erratically drove off the roadway into a snow-filled ditch on Baldoon Road near Cedar Hedge Line around 8 a.m. on Friday morning.
Upon arriving on scene, police believed the man was driving while under the influence of a drug. The man was arrested and transported to police headquarters where a Drug Recognition Expert conducted an evaluation. As a result, the DRE officer believed the man was impaired by a drug.
Police say when he was searched incident to arrest, the man was found to be in possession of suspected hydromorphone, fentanyl, oxycodone, drug paraphernalia, cell phone and large amount of cash.
Through investigation, officers say they learned that the man did not have permission from the registered owner to be driving the vehicle as he was a suspended driver.
The 37-year-old man was charged with impaired driving, take motor vehicle without consent, driving while under suspension, three counts of failing to comply with his release conditions and three counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking.
He was held in custody pending a bail hearing and remanded with a future court date of March 1, 2021.
His passenger, a 25-year-old man, was arrested on an outstanding warrant in connection with two shoplifting incidents at Walmart in Chatham last month. Upon being searched incident to arrest, police say he was also found to be in possession of suspected fentanyl.
He was additionally charged with drug possession and released pending a future court date of March 25, 2021.