Sarnia all-candidates debate a revealing evening
Probation for a woman passed out from fentanyl while in the driver seat
March 21, 2022
Blake Ellis/Local Journalism Initiative
“You have no business being in the driver seat of a motor vehicle, never mind one that is running,” said Judge Krista Leszczynski to a 26 year-old Corunna woman who was driving while high on fentanyl and passed out in a twice.
Katherine Gibbs was in the driver seat of a vehicle which struck a parked car in St. Clair Township on Oct. 13, 2020. She took her foot off the brake and her car did a slow roll into the other vehicle.
Two tinfoil wrappers with fentanyl were on the passenger seat. Her eyes were blood shot, her speech was slow and slurred and she had trouble opening her eyes when paramedics arrived.
Gibbs was again high on fentanyl, passed out in the driver seat of an SUV in Chatham-Kent on October 29, 2020. Like the first time, the vehicle was in gear.
She plead guilty to both counts of impaired driving by drug in Sarnia court on March 2. She was fined $3,600 and will be on probation for one year.
“I am very concerned when I hear about circumstances like this,” said Leszczynski. “The danger you posed was very real.”
“I am not going down this path again,” said Gibbs. She is in addictions counselling as a condition of probation.
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Sarnia all-candidates debate a revealing evening
October 21, 2026
Cathy Dobson/The Independent With less than a week until election day, 28 candidates vying for eight council seats, spent four hours Tuesday trying to stand out as the right choice for Sarnia voters. They gathered at The Imperial Theatre in front of an audience of 200, with another 500 streaming the marathon event online. Compared to Monday night’s mayoral debate,
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St. Clair will be reimbursed for help at Chatham ethanol plant fire
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Heather Wright/The Independent St. Clair Township Councillor Brad Langstaff wants to know what it cost for the fire department to help fight an ethanol plant fire in Chatham. Sept. 16, 15 firefighters, the township’s two tower trucks and its drone headed to Chatham to help battle a massive fire at Greenfield Global. St. Clair was called on because it has
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Enniskillen rejects request for ATVs on township roads
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LAMBTON VOTES: Petrolia Candidate Surveys
October 21, 2026
The Independent sent a questionnaire to each candidate for Petrolia Council. Below are the unedited responses from the candidates: Work Experience: Policy Advisor, Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce; former Constituency Assistant to MPPs Bob Bailey and Billy Pang; former parliamentary intern with MPs Marilyn Gladu and Jake Stewart; former Town of Petrolia Parks & Recreation Summer Labourer; former Dietary Aide at
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