Alex Kurial/Local Journalism Initiative

A Petrolia man learned the hard way you don’t actually have to be found behind the wheel to be arrested for drunk driving.
Jaret Scarrow, 21, was the recipient of this lesson as his court case drew to a close Mar. 15.
It stemmed from an Oct. 9 incident last year when Scarrow came across a friend who was having driving issues of his own.
Scarrow’s friend had put his Chevy Malibu into a ditch on Confederation Road, severing a hydro pole in the process.
Scarrow happened to be passing by in his Ford Ranger and stopped to help.
Police arrived on the scene and found the Chevy driver, Scarrow and Scarrow’s passenger working to attach a tow rope to the downed Malibu.
Officers detected an alcohol odor on all three men and asked for breath samples. Scarrow objected on the grounds he wasn’t driving when police arrived.
“It was after explaining to Mr. Scarrow that the police do not need to see you behind the wheel, but only have reason to believe that you were operating the motor vehicle within the past two hours and that you may now have alcohol in your body, that they can then request the sample,” Defence Lawyer Nick Cake explained to the Sarnia courtroom.
A search of Scarrow’s truck also found a half-empty bottle of Smirnoff vodka and a bag of marijuana.
The Chevy driver was arrested for drunk driving while Scarrow’s passenger was later booked for causing a scene.
Justice Anne McFadyen handed Scarrow $2,350 in fines: $2,000 for failing to provide a sample and $175 each for driving with readily available alcohol and marijuana.
Scarrow is also banned from driving for a year.