Friends don’t let friends drive impaired. Two drivers get removed from the road by the same police officer

October 13, 2026 - Heffley Creek, British Columbia
From: BC Highway Patrol

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Two women have lost their licences, and their vehicles, after driving home separately from a day of fun in the sun and allegedly drinking too much.

On September 19, 2026, at 5:15 p.m., on Highway #5 (the Yellowhead) near Heffley Creek, a BC Highway Patrol officer stopped a Toyota Matrix for driving 130 km/h in a 100 zone. A 33-year-old Savona woman was driving the Toyota Matrix, and she told the police officer that she was trying to catch up with her friend who was driving a Jeep Liberty and who had stopped just ahead. 

While speaking to the Savona woman, the police officer opted to do a breath demand, and the driver provided two samples that showed readings of “Fail”. The police officer approached the second driver and demanded a sample of her breath as well. The Jeep Liberty driver, a 29-year-old Kamloops woman, also provided two samples that read “Fail”. 

Both drivers were issued:

• A 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition (IRP), 
• A 30-day vehicle impoundment, 
• About $1,400 in tow and impound fees, administrative penalties and a licence re-instatement fee.

The driver of the Toyota Matrix also received a $138 ticket for speeding, section 146(3) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act.

“This situation, like most impaired driving, was preventable at so many stages,” says Sergeant Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “The decision to drive separately was part of a compounding series of bad judgments. Drinkers need to plan ahead so that they avoid selfish and dangerous choices.”

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