A 34-year-old driver who was heavily intoxicated with GHB in the middle of the Montreal freeway was recently cleared of drink driving after she was allegedly drugged by a woman she met on Tinder .
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“Courts of appeal across Canada have recognized that GHB is a ‘notorious rape drug’ and that one of its uses is for the criminal purpose of facilitating non-consensual sex with third party victims, including women,” ruled Judge Randall Richmond, of the Municipal Court of Montréal.
This Hudson, Montérégie resident’s white Chevrolet Cruze was seen zigzagging between lanes of the Décarie Highway in February 2019.
A witness noted that the passenger mirror was broken and hanging by its threads.
“Although he lost sight of the vehicle for a while, he caught up with it on Highway 720 heading towards downtown Montreal. Again, the white Cruze zigzagged and almost crashed into objects on the road,” read Judge Richmond’s ruling.
disoriented
The driver stopped in the middle of the intersection of Rue de la Montagne and Rue Notre-Dame Ouest. A police officer approached them there.
“The engine ran, but the driver leaned to the side. The door was locked, so he knocked on the window. “The driver woke up and appeared startled and disoriented,” the court document said.
Analysis will later confirm the presence of GHB in the urine of the 30-year-old, who the Journal asked to hide her name given the “trauma” caused by this story.
Waking up at the police station
La Montérégienne, represented by Me Mathieu Bourgon, reported that around 10:30 p.m. that evening, she had hooked up with a woman she met through the Tinder app at a bar in Valleyfield.
At one point, she went to the bathroom but didn’t bring her drink, which contained no alcohol.
“Her date and the drink were still there when she went back to the bar. What happened next, she can’t remember. His closest memory is from the police station,” describes Judge Richmond.
In the days following that disturbing night, the young woman found $400 missing from her wallet. The Tinder profile of the woman who was hit was also not found.
Solid testimonial
Hugo Lalonde of the prosecution tried to prove that the defendant suffered in part from the use of cocaine. After an investigation, a police officer also stated that she was under the effect of a stimulant.
However, according to the toxicological report, the use of this drug decreased “by several hours” and therefore had no effect during the event.
Judge Richmond therefore considered that he had no reason to dismiss the young woman’s statements.
“I realize that many people use small amounts of GHB recreationally. But the testimony of [l’accusée] “The fact that she did not take the GHB voluntarily was sufficiently credible to raise reasonable doubts,” emphasizes the judge.