No sooner had the Abbotsford Police Department's media relations officer finished giving a TV interview about the department's current impaired driving campaign on Monday (Dec. 23) than he was alerted to a possible drunk driver in the area.

Sgt. Paul Walker finished the interview at about 10:30 a.m. in the vicinity of Clearbrook Road and South Fraser Way. He was speaking on the Think of Me campaign, which involves students decorating liquor-store paper bags with anti-impaired-driving messages.

Walker said a citizen told him of a possible impaired driver leaving a parking lot in the area.

A member of the traffic enforcement unit located the vehicle on Clearbrook Road and tried to pull over the driver, but he didn't stop.

Walker said, instead, the man drove to his home a few blocks away and entered the gated underground parking lot of his condo building "with officers hot on his tail."

The vehicle was blocked in, and the driver was arrested for fleeing from police and refusing to provide a breath sample. As well, his vehicle was impounded.

Walker said the 73-year-old driver has a history of impaired driving. He has been released from custody, with a court appearance slated for March 3.

"What was extremely frustrating with this incident was the fact that this man had a sober passenger seated in the vehicle with him," Walker said.

"A search of the vehicle incidental to the man's arrest discovered that the man and his passenger had visited a local liquor store, and their purchase was wrapped in one of the Think of Me bags. Even with this message, this man chose to drive impaired."

Walker said the arrest marks the 806th impaired driver that the APD has taken off local roads in 2024.

"Some drivers continue to make incredibly poor choices when it comes to driving impaired. There is absolutely no excuse for driving impaired. This man today put all of our lives at risk and will now appear in court to answer for that," he said.

Walker said extra officers continue to look for impaired drivers over the holidays.