Abbotsford man sets record for the most impaired driving convictions

ABBOTSFORD — 66-year-old Roy Heide has earned the dubious distinction of holding the record for the most impaired driving convictions in Canadian history. On August 15th, 2022, Heide was involved in a motorcycle accident in the 1800 block of Clearbrook Rd. The incident led to a series of events that culminated in his recent sentencing.

The Abbotsford Police Department responded to the reported accident where a passenger of the motorcycle was found seriously injured. Heide, the motorcycle’s driver, attempted to flee but was identified with the help of witnesses. Upon further investigation, Heide was arrested for driving while prohibited and detained for an impaired driving investigation. Tests revealed his blood alcohol content was over two times the legal limit.

In a new release, Abbotsford police says the legal proceedings concluded on December 18th, 2023, with Heide pleading guilty to impaired driving, driving while disqualified, and driving while prohibited. He received a sentence of four years and 354 days in jail for the incident. Remarkably, the conviction marked Heide’s twenty-first for impaired driving, setting what is believed to be a new record in the country.

“Impaired driving can have devastating consequences to innocent road users as a result of an impaired driver’s decision to drive impaired, said Sgt. Paul Walker of the Abbotsford Police Department’s Traffic Enforcement Unit. “Our frontline officers continue to be out enforcing impaired driving laws and taking a zero-tolerance approach to driving while impaired.”