Fentanyl-impaired driver convicted in Yellowknife

A woman in Yellowknife has been found guilty of driving while impaired by drugsincludingfentanyl the first fentanyl-relatedimpaired driving conviction in the N.W.T., say RCMP.

Police arrested the driver, whose name they aren'treleasing,in April.

"RCMP ... found an adult female in the driver's seat of a vehicle that appeared to be under the influence of drugs," according to a news release.

"A blood sample was taken and sent for analysis. It came back positive for drugs."

She was found guilty following a trial on Oct. 21.

"What is concerning is that this case involved not only impaired driving under the influence of drugs, but fentanyl was found in the person's system. This person faced danger from both drug use and impaired driving," said RCMP spokespersonMarieYork-Condon in the release.

"Impaired driving while under the influence of drugs carries the same penalties as alcohol impaired driving as well as the same risks."

It's unusual to receive a post-conviction news release from the RCMP. However York-Condon said the RCMP "wanted to wait for a conviction to bring awareness to the fact that driving impaired by drugs is just as bad as driving drunk."