Kelowna driver arrested after police allege drug-impaired driving on Harvey Avenue

A Kelowna man is facing potential criminal charges after BC Highway Patrol officers allege he was driving while impaired by drugs on one of the city’s busiest roads.

Police say the incident happened just after 10:30 a.m. on Harvey Avenue, when an officer in an unmarked patrol vehicle was passed by a driver who appeared to have a glass pipe in his mouth. The vehicle was stopped a short time later.

According to BC Highway Patrol, the 56-year-old driver told officers he was “only” smoking marihuana. Corporal Michael McLaughlin said any form of drug impairment, including cannabis, is illegal while operating a vehicle under British Columbia law.

A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered a butane lighter and a glass pipe typically associated with crack cocaine use. Police say there was no evidence of marihuana. The driver was arrested and performed poorly during a Standardized Field Sobriety Test, leading officers to issue a blood demand and take him to hospital for further testing. Police say the man also admitted to smoking crack cocaine earlier in the day.

McLaughlin said impaired driving remains a serious concern, particularly during winter conditions when roads can be slippery and unpredictable. The driver’s vehicle was impounded, and he received a 24-hour driving prohibition along with a ticket for failing to produce a driver’s licence. Police say criminal charges will be considered once laboratory results are received and the investigation is complete.