Drunk Driver Going Wrong Way Hits RCMP Cruiser in Tracadie, N.B.

A 50-year-old New Brunswick woman has been arrested for impaired driving following a collision in Tracadie Wednesday evening that destroyed an RCMP vehicle.

Police say that around 8:20 p.m., a member of the Tracadie RCMP in a marked police vehicle was en route to assist with a call for a disturbance. While merging onto Route 11 near the intersection of Rivière-à-la-Truite, the officer encountered an SUV travelling in the wrong direction on an off-ramp.

The officer attempted to swerve out of the way, but the SUV struck the police vehicle head-on, according to Cpl. Kevin Plourde of the Tracadie RCMP. The police vehicle sustained considerable damage, trapping the officer inside. The driver of the SUV allegedly fled the scene on foot.

Passing Motorist Stops to Help Injured RCMP Officer

Moments later, a passing motorist stopped to assist the officer and helped her get out of the vehicle safely. The RCMP member, who sustained minor injuries in the collision, immediately began searching the area for the driver of the SUV. The woman was found about 300 meters away in tall grass and was arrested, Plourde said. She was apparently not injured.

The RCMP member was transported to hospital, treated and released.

Woman Involved in Crash had Alcohol Level Well Above Legal Limit

The arrested woman, who is from Tracadie, was transported by other police officers to the Tracadie RCMP detachment. Breathalyzer tests there showed her blood alcohol levels were about three times the legal limit, police said.

The woman has since been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in Tracadie Provincial Court on February 24, 2023. Her name was not released pending forthcoming charges.

"We would like express our sincere gratitude to the citizen who stopped to help our member when she was trapped in her vehicle, as well as our first responder partners who assisted with this incident," said Cpl. Kevin Plourde.

Members of the Tracadie RCMP, the Tracadie Fire Department and Ambulance New Brunswick responded to the crash. One lane of the highway was closed for several hours Wednesday night. An RCMP collision reconstructionist later attended the scene as part of the investigation.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.