Drunk driver from Brampton tried to buy tank of gas with weed in Caledon: police

Plans to pay for gas with cannabis went up in smoke for a Brampton man charged with drunk driving in Caledon on the weekend.

Sometime before 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, officers from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say a man pulled into a gas station on Highway 10 in Caledon and attempted to purchase fuel.

Police said the driver was so inebriated that he had difficulty getting the gas pump into his vehicle’s tank.

And instead of using cash or a debit card for his purchase, police say the driver tried to pay the bill with weed.

“It wasn’t like a barter…it was like it was a regular occurrence for the guy,” said OPP Provincial Const. Ian Michel.

The man was taken into custody and transported to the Caledon OPP detachment and Michel said the driver was found to be over the legal limit for alcohol.

The constable said he checked with officers from other police agencies across the country and couldn’t find records of a similar incident. It’s not uncommon for criminals to use drugs to pay for illegal goods but Michel called the weed-for-gas incident “a head scratcher.”

Michel said it’s unclear if the cannabis in question was from a legal dispensary, home-grown or from the black market.

Police said the driver was hit with a 90-day driver’s license suspension and the vehicle was impounded for seven days. Michel said it’s possible the man may face additional charges related to narcotics.

Andrew Scalon, 31, of Brampton, has been charged with Operation of a Motor Vehicle – Over 80mgs.

Scalon is scheduled to appear in Orangeville Provincial Court in February 2022. None of the allegations have been proven in court.