GEORGETOWN, P.E.I. — A Vernon River man who told the police he smoked two joints a few hours before he was caught driving was sentenced Thursday to 35 days in jail.
Phillip Leonard Doyle, 39, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Georgetown where he pleaded guilty to driving with a THC level in his blood that was above the legal limit.
Crown attorney Nathan Beck told the court that on Feb. 5 at around 11:40 a.m. an RCMP officer on patrol in the Commercial Cross area saw Doyle’s vehicle had an expired inspection sticker.
After pulling the vehicle over the officer found it also had an expired registration.
Beck said the officer could smell freshly burned marijuana and noticed other signs of cannabis use.
Doyle told the officer he smoked two joints before going to work, Beck said.
The court heard that while the officer was waiting to get a blood sample from Doyle, the accused said he didn’t understand why the interlock device he had on his vehicle would let him drive.
Beck said the officer told him the interlock device only registers alcohol consumption.
Testing showed the level of THC in Doyle’s blood was more than twice the legal limit, Beck said.
The court also heard Doyle had two prior drunk driving convictions.
Along with the jail time, Doyle must pay a $1,300 fine and is banned from driving for two years.
