Man drove with ‘incredible’ blood-alcohol level

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This article was published 20/04/2021 (1984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man was fined on Monday after pleading guilty to an impaired driving incident where he tried to mislead police about his identity.

Alexander Stadnyk, 28, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit and public mischief in a July 2, 2020 incident, Crown attorney Caroline Lacey said.

Police were dispatched to the 4500 block of Victoria Avenue at approximately 7 a.m. after a report a black car hit the median and was being driven by a possibly impaired man. The man and the woman, who was sitting in the passenger seat, were trying to get the vehicle off the median.

When officers arrived they spoke to the caller, who said they saw Stadnyk staggering when he exited the vehicle, Lacey said.

Officers walked up to the vehicle and found a woman in the driver’s seat and Stadnyk was in the passenger seat. Lacey said Stadnyk was rummaging through the glove box and trying to avoid making eye contact with police.

Stadnyk told police his name was Nicholas and gave a fake birth date before they arrested him, Lacey said.

Once at the police station he gave two breath samples, both at 220 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, Lacey said.

Officers also discovered his name was actually Alexander and then found out his real birth date.

Lacey suggested a fine on both the driving with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit and public mischief charge.

Defence lawyer Michael Nerbas said there is no excuse for drinking and driving and Stadnyk wanted to take full responsibility for the incident. He said Stadnyk also struggles with an alcohol problem but has been sober since the incident.

“He knows alcohol is a problem for him… he has taken this very seriously for himself,” Nerbas told the court.

“He wasn’t thinking straight. Obviously, alcohol was a problem for him and he knew he made a mistake that day. He was scared.”

Nerbas agreed with the Crown’s recommendation for a fine on the charges, calling the incident an “expensive lesson.”

Stadnyk told the court he knows he messaged up and is sorry for his actions.

Judge Patrick Sullivan said Stadnyk seemed genuine in his remorse but his reading of 220 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood was “incredible” and well over double the legal limit. He also said Stadnyk was lucky he only hit a median.

“There’s a lot of traffic at 7 a.m. and only by fate were you lucky that that accident was with a median and not with a child crossing the street or another vehicle. This day could have turned out much differently for you and for someone else,” Sullivan said.

The circumstances of the incident are close to warranting jail, Sullivan warned Stadnyk, but he sentenced him to a $2,400 fine for operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit charge and a $100 fine for mischief.

Sullivan said Stadnyk should do something with his remorse to get a handle on any alcohol problem, calling his remorse “meaningless” if he doesn’t make a change.

 

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