DRIVER UNDER METHADONE INFLUENCE GETS 130 DAYS

A man who recklessly endangered the lives of three young children by
driving impaired -- under the influence of prescription methadone -- on
Hwy. 401 was sentenced to an additional 130 days in jail.

Rory Mooney, 41, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, impaired operation of
a motor vehicle and failing to appear in court when he appeared Tuesday in
the Ontario Court of Justice (Trenton).

Assistant Crown attorney Shane Hobson said the OPP were called at 3:32 a.m.
about a possible impaired driver on Hwy. 401 near Bowmanville on April 13.
The suspect blue Ford van left the Fifth Wheel Truck Stop and entered Hwy.
401 on Waverly Road, heading west. The vehicle straddled lanes and weaved
in and out of traffic at erratic speeds, narrowly avoiding a collision with
several other vehicles.

Hobson said the vehicle stopped at Courtice Road, got off the highway and
then re-entered, heading east. An OPP clocked the vehicle travelling in
excess of 120 km/hr on wet roads. Hobson said Mooney cut off several
vehicles and crossed two lanes, colliding with a guard rail before coming
to a stop. There were two six-year-olds and a five-year-old in the van.

Hobson said Mooney was incoherent. The arresting officer noted Mooney was
"stoned," Hobson said, and admitted to being on methadone which is used to
wean addicts off heroin.

Another witness told police Mooney was so impaired as to try and put his
children in the wrong vehicle in the parking lot of the truck stop.

Duty counsel Kris Bonn said the methadone was a prescription drug.

Hobson noted Mooney failed to appear in an Oshawa court on May 8.

He added a witness saw a suspiciously operated van on McKenzie Road in
Sidney on Nov. 26.

The licence plate was given to police. It was determined the van belonged
to Mooney but was being operated with stolen licence plates.

Bonn said a prior criminal record was admitted. He said Mooney was last
convicted of impaired driving in 1992, and his last charge "of any nature"
was in 1995.

Bonn said Mooney is remorseful and "just wants to get on with his life,
supporting his children."

Justice Stephen Hunter noted Mooney had served 48 days pre-trial custody.

"If it was left to me it would be substantially more (than a joint sentence
of 130 days) for dangerous driving with your children in the vehicle,"
Hunter said.

Hunter sentenced Mooney to 10 days on the charge of possession of stolen
licence plates, 30 days for failing to appear, plus 90 days for impaired
operation of a motor vehicle plus time served.