CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A P.E.I. man who drove his vehicle into a ditch and refused to give the police breathalyzer samples was sentenced recently to seven days in jail for impaired driving.
Peter Randolph Coffin, 32, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown where he entered a guilty plea.
Crown attorney Jeff MacDonald told the court that on Sept. 13 at around 12:20 a.m. a witness reported seeing a vehicle in a ditch.
When the police responded they pulled Coffin over after seeing him driving a vehicle slowly.
MacDonald said Coffin told the police he missed a driveway earlier and went into a ditch.
The court heard Coffin also told the police he had four beer since that afternoon, and MacDonald said when an officer opened one of the vehicle’s doors it had a can of Budweiser in it.
MacDonald told the court Coffin showed unusual behaviour on his way to the RCMP detachment, including telling the police to shut up and giggling when they asked him questions. At the detachment, Coffin refused to give breathalyzer samples.
Before hearing his sentence, Coffin said he wanted to apologize for his actions and for being unco-operative.
Along with the jail time, Coffin must pay a $1,500 fine and a $450 victim surcharge.
Coffin will be banned from driving for one year.