Woman from Thunder Bay Arrested on Highway 11-17

Thunder Bay – NEWS – A woman from Thunder Bay has been charged with Criminal Code and provincial offenses following an OPP traffic stop on Highway 11-17 in Shuniah Thursday morning. This incident is significant locally since the highway corridor east of Thunder Bay is one of the busiest routes for commuters, commercial vehicles, and travelers. Impaired driving enforcement continues to be a key public safety concern throughout Northwestern Ontario.

Charges filed after morning traffic stop near Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay OPP report that around 8:50 a. m. on March 19, 2026, an officer conducting a routine patrol pulled over an SUV traveling on Highway 11-17 within the Municipality of Shuniah.

According to police, during the investigation, the officer found out that the driver was not allowed to operate a vehicle and had been drinking alcohol. The OPP stated that the driver was taken into custody after allegedly refusing to provide breath samples for an approved screening device.

Consequently, Kiera Jorden Drystek-Henry, 32, from Thunder Bay, faces charges of failure or refusal to comply with demand and operating while prohibited under the Criminal Code. She’s also facing provincial charges for driving with an open container of liquor, obstructing a license plate, having a dirty plate, and failing to surrender her insurance card.

The accused has been released from custody and is set to appear in Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on April 29, 2026.

Understanding the Criminal Code charges

The refusal charge falls under section 320.15(1) of the Criminal Code. This section makes it illegal to knowingly fail or refuse without reasonable excuse to comply with a lawful demand made under sections 320.27 or 320.28, which includes roadside breath tests. Prosecutors generally take refusal seriously because it can disrupt a legitimate impaired-driving investigation.

The prohibited driving allegation relates to section 320.18(1) of the Criminal Code that prohibits operating any vehicle while barred by court order under federal law or another legal restriction imposed due to relevant convictions or discharges.

The other offenses are provincial violations. Ontario’s liquor laws include an offense for driving with an open container of liquor inside a vehicle. Additionally, Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act requires license plates to be kept clear of dirt and obstructions. The Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act mandates that drivers must present their insurance cards for inspection when requested by law enforcement.

Possible consequences if convicted

If convicted for refusal under section 320.15(1), there’s a minimum fine set at $2,000 for first-time offenders. A second offense carries at least a mandatory minimum jail term of 30 days; subsequent offenses carry at least a mandatory minimum sentence of 120 days.

This charge can proceed via indictment with potential maximum penalties up to ten years in prison or through summary conviction processes. Convictions also result in mandatory driving prohibitions ranging from one to three years for first offenses; two to ten years for second offenses; and at least three years for later offenses.

If found guilty of operating while prohibited under section 320.18(1), this too can go through indictment procedures carrying maximum penalties up to ten years imprisonment or via summary conviction routes without specific mandatory jail terms outlined in section 320.19(5). However, courts may impose additional driving prohibitions up to three years upon conviction depending on each case’s circumstances including prior records as well as factors presented during court proceedings.

Presumption of innocence applies

The charges have yet not been proven in court; hence she remains presumed innocent until proven guilty before legal authorities.

Safer choices instead of drinking and driving

For those in Thunder Bay looking for safer alternatives: consider using designated drivers, calling sober friends or family members for help, booking rides through services like Uride or utilizing Thunder Bay Transit where available throughout town limits as they maintain both conventional transport options along with specialized transit services alongside Uride offering local ride-booking capabilities via their app.

OPP encourages anyone witnessing suspected impaired driving incidents should dial emergency number ‘911’. Concerns regarding impaired behavior or aggressive/careless actions behind wheels can be reported directly reaching out through OPP hotline at 1-888-310-1122.

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