Two men charged with impaired driving after two separate crashes in a single hour in northwestern Ont.

A series of impaired driving incidents in northern Ontario last weekend kept Ontario Provincial Police busy. A glass of whiskey with ice, car keys and police handcuffs. (File photo/AlexRaths/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

The Kenora Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment charged two individuals with impaired driving following two separate single-vehicle collisions that occurred within an hour of each other last weekend.

The first incident took place just before 2 a.m. on Feb. 9, when officers responded to a call about a vehicle stuck in a snowbank on Chipman Street.

“Police arrived on scene and located a vehicle stuck in a snowbank,” the OPP said in a news release.

Investigators determined the driver had been consuming alcohol.

“The driver was arrested and transported to the Kenora Detachment where additional breath testing was completed,” police said.

As a result, a 30-year-old local man faces multiple impaired-related charges; impaired operation, novice driver with a blood alcohol concentration above zero, operation while impaired with a blood alcohol concentration over 80 and driving a motor vehicle with liquor readily available.

Then shortly after 2 a.m., officers responded to another single-vehicle collision behind a local bar.

Police arrived to find the driver attempting to free their vehicle from a snowbank.

“The driver failed the approved screening device test and was arrested and transported to the Kenora Detachment where additional breath testing was completed,” the OPP said.

A 36-year-old local man now faces two impaired driving charges – including having a blood alcohol concentration of more than 80 – as a result of the incident.

In addition to the charges, both accused had their driver’s licences suspended for 90 days and the vehicles involved were impounded for seven days. They are also scheduled to appear in court at a later date to answer to the criminal charges.

“The OPP remains committed to taking alcohol/drug-impaired drivers off our roads through enforcement and public education,” police said.

“If you suspect that someone is driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, it is important to call 911 to report it.”