Truck driver faces felony drug counts

Published 9:44 am Monday, August 31, 2009

A Canadian truck driver is facing a number of charges for allegedly driving his semi drunk Tuesday on Interstate 90 while also possessing a controlled substance.

Jaswinder Singh Johal, 39, of Surrey, British Columbia, appeared Friday in Mower County court on a fourth-degree DWI charge, two felony drug possession counts and other charges.

According to court complaints, Johal was pulled over on the highway near the 14th Street Northwest exit in Austin by a Mower County sheriff’s deputy for swerving over the center line and driving in both lanes at times.

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Johal had watery, bloodshot eyes and smelled strongly of alcohol. He initially said he had not been drinking, according to records.

Johal was asked to exit the vehicle and stumbled out of the cab. He was unable to complete field sobriety tests and appeared “extremely intoxicated,” according to the complaints. He told the deputy he had consumed a few beers and that there was alcohol in the cab.

Johal was taken to the Law Enforcement Center, where he allegedly didn’t cooperate when asked to give a blood-alcohol test.

A search of his vehicle uncovered two nearly empty bottles of vodka. Authorities also found two bottles of Methadone, a prescription drug. One of the two bottles was not prescribed to Johal, and he has been charged with criminal drug possession.

Bail has been set at $250,000, or $25,000 with conditions. Johal is scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 10.

The complaints do not indicate whether Johal’s semi was pulling anything at the time of the incident.