One woman is facing impaired driving charges after being found passed out behind the wheel of her truck in a Nanaimo shopping centre parking lot. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

impaired charges

Woman found unconscious inside idling truck, with baby in back seat, faces criminal charges

Nov 24, 2022 | 10:45 AM

NANAIMO — A 35-year-old woman is facing multiple charges after being found unconscious behind the wheel of her running vehicle, with her infant daughter and dog inside.

On Thursday, Nov. 17 around 10:30 a.m., RCMP officers were called to the Nanaimo North Town Centre parking lot where they found a running Ford F-150 pickup with the driver passed out behind the wheel.

A baby, strapped in a baby seat, and a dog were also inside.

The vehicle itself was reportedly involved in a hit-and-run earlier in the day in Oceanside, with officers there advising Nanaimo RCMP to be on the lookout.

Officers tried to wake up the woman by yelling and knocking on her window but she wasn’t responsive, prompting calls to BC Emergency Health Services and Nanaimo Fire Rescue.

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Ultimately the woman was removed from the car and taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital for treatment. The child was also taken to hospital for a check-up.

While being transported, police noticed a strong smell of liquor on the woman’s breath.

The baby received a clean bill of health and was turned over to her father, while the woman remained in police custody and failed a breath test twice, producing results roughly 2.5 times the legal limit.

Her vehicle was impounded and she was issued a 90-day roadside prohibition, and is facing criminal charges of driving while impaired and driving while over the legal limit of .08.

“This incident is disturbing on many levels but needless to say that we are just glad that the child was not injured in any way, said Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.

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