A man passed out behind the wheel of a running car downtown has been charged with impaired driving — and with drug trafficking, after Sault Police discovered more than $10,000 worth of suspected fentanyl inside the vehicle.
Officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Queen Street East around 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 7 after receiving “a report of a person unconscious at the wheel of a running motor vehicle.”
Police say officers observed drug paraphernalia inside the car and arrested the man for suspected impaired driving. A subsequent search uncovered 20 grams of suspected fentanyl worth $10,300, police allege.
Ryan Hopkin, 35, is charged with:
- Operation While Impaired – Drugs and/or Alcohol
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking
He was released on an appearance notice and is scheduled back in court on Nov. 27, 2023.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and Hopkin is considered innocent unless proven guilty.