CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A P.E.I. man who had breathalyzer readings more than 3.5 times the legal limit after he was seen swerving all over the road was sentenced recently to seven days in jail.
John Heath MacIntyre, 53, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown where he pleaded guilty to drunk driving.
Crown attorney Nathan Beck told the court that on April 25 at around 5:15 p.m. the police responded to a report of a witness seeing a Jeep Wrangler swerving all over the road, going over a curb and spraying dirt.
Beck said MacIntyre went into a parking lot where he was unsteady on his feet as he got out of the vehicle and, at one point, fell backward into waste baskets.
MacIntyre later provided breathalyzer samples that were more than 3.5 times the legal limit, and the police impounded his vehicle.
Defence lawyer Conor Mullin told the court MacIntyre has been sober since his arrest and has sought treatment, including a referral to a mental health counsellor.
Before hearing his sentence, MacIntyre apologized to the court, saying it was the worst week of his life and he reached for alcohol.
“I’m sorry for what I did,” he said.
Along with the jail time, Orr fined MacIntyre $2,000 and ordered him to pay a $600 victim surcharge.
MacIntyre is banned from driving for one year.
