Customers at a small-town convenience store south of Sarnia were worried.
Customers at a small-town convenience store south of Sarnia were worried.
A man in his late 20s was slumped over the steering wheel of his car, which was stopped on the St. Clair Parkway outside of Courtright Variety on a Thursday night last year. Alexander Boe’s foot was on the brake, but he was passed out and the black 2019 Honda Civic’s ignition was still in drive.
“Bystanders were worried that he may crash into the building as the wheels of his vehicle were turned towards the variety store,” David Rows, Lambton’s former Crown attorney, said Wednesday while reading an agreed statement of facts.
Lambton provincial police officers were dispatched to the area around 9 pm on June 3.
“The vehicle began slowly rolling northbound as police were approaching,” Rows said.
The officer had to pull in front of the Civic and use their cruiser’s lights and loud sirens to wake Boe – who was wearing sunglasses despite the sun being long gone – and get him to stop his car. He apologized to police and said he had pulled over to take a nap as he was very tired.
Still, something seemed off on that warm late spring night.
“All of the windows were down in the vehicle, but the driver was sweating profusely,” Rows said.
He also couldn’t perform simple tasks such as finding his driver’s licence, ownership and insurance. Officers also noticed an empty bottle of methadone in the center console and a plastic straw in his pants’ pocket.
They asked him if the straw was for cocaine use.
“He stated, ‘It was,’” Rows said.
Boe was arrested and taken to headquarters, where he failed drug recognition tests. Nearly 10 months later, the 28-year-old pleaded guilty to impaired driving.
“You are very lucky, sir, as are others who were around at that time, that nobody was injured or, obviously more tragically, killed as a result,” Justice Krista Lynn Leszczynski said.
Boe apologized to the court.
“I understand the severity of impaired driving and I’m really sorry anyone that could have potentially been hurt,” he said.
The judge sentenced him to a $3,000 fine and a one-year driving ban.
“This very easily could have been a custodial sentence,” Leszczynski added.
Defense lawyer Terry Brandon explained her client became addicted to opioids about six years ago after using prescription medication for a back injury, but this was an eye-opening situation for her client, she added.
Boe agreed, saying he’s trying to make positive changes in his life.
“Good luck, Mr. Boe. Take care,” the judge said.