KINBURN – The Ontario Provincial Police and Ottawa Police Service converged to take down a wrong-way driver Thursday night (Jan. 2) headed down the highway through Kinburn.

Police say officers responded to a report of a vehicle travelling the wrong way on westbound Highway 417 near Panmure Road.

A number of motorists were forced to swerve away from the wrong-way driver and immediately called emergency right after.

”We had to slam on the brakes and pull over to avoid this idiot,” Arnprior’s Nathalie Spratt posted on social media.

“(My daughter) was in a van with (a friend) on their way home and called 911,” Cynthia McMullen said. “So thankful she and our other friends avoided an accident.”

Police were able to stop the suspect vehicle and arrest the driver. Upon further investigation, police allege the driver of the pick-up truck had been consuming a drug and subsequently arrested the man and transported him to detachment for further testing. No injuries were reported by police.

A 68-year-old Lanark County resident was charged with operation while impaired by drugs, dangerous operation of a vehicle, and driving a vehicle with cannabis readily available.

The suspect was released on promise to appear and will be at the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa on Feb. 25.

The man’s licence was suspended and his vehicle was impounded for seven days.