REASONABLE GROUNDS - LACK OF CARE AND POOR JUDGEMENT COMBINED WITH STRONG SMELL OF ALCOHOL AND RED GLASSY EYES WERE ENOUGH
Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 6:50PM An officer encountered Mr. Coffer in Toronto. The trial judge summarized the officer's testimony : Mr. Coffer was driving too quickly for the weather and he was straddling the hash marks in the road; these factors suggested a lack of care and poor judgement on the part of the driver. I also accept the officer's evidence that Mr. Coffer was aware of his presence when he pulled into 120 Shelburne and heard his instructions yet continued to ignore them; these factors suggested that Mr. Coffer was either again exercising poor judgement or was actively ignoring the officer. Finally, Mr. Coffer smelled strongly of alcohol and had red glassy eyes, suggesting that the driving concerns, the lack of judgement, and/or the desire to avoid the police were related to alcohol consumption. R. v. Coffer, 2013 ONSC 470