Impaired Driver Arrested for Driving Wrong-Way on Highway 401

Prescott – Grenville OPP arrested an impaired driver on Wednesday evening after driving in the wrong direction on Highway 401, near the Town of Prescott.

Police say just before 8:00 pm on November 20th, the Grenville County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received calls about a wrong-way vehicle travelling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 401, near the Town of Prescott.

At that time, an off-duty police officer in an unmarked police vehicle was travelling eastbound and was almost struck head-on by the suspect vehicle as it continued in the wrong direction. The officer saw the suspect driver make a U-turn and begin driving eastbound and followed them as they exited the highway at Johnstown and came to a stop. The officers identified themselves and tried to stop the suspect, who then fled towards the United States border crossing at a high rate of speed.

The suspect then made another U-turn and drove in the wrong direction from the suspension bridge. Another officer arrived at the scene and blocked the exit. Officers made observations of the driver and entered into an impaired driving investigation. The driver was subsequently arrested and a Drug Recognition Evaluation was later conducted.

As a result of the investigation, Clement ALALADE, 46 years of age, of Brockville, Ontario, was charged with operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs and dangerous operation, contrary to the Criminal Code.

The accused was later released and is set to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brockville, on December 20, 2024.