What Happened
Just before 4 p.m. on March 2 daylight, a regular intersection a 78-year-old man was struck by a Dodge Ram truck at 13 Street and 3 Avenue North in Lethbridge. The driver was turning southbound onto 13 Street when the truck hit the elderly pedestrian. He showed signs of impairment at the scene.
The victim was taken by EMS to Chinook Regional Hospital with significant head injuries, then transferred to Calgary. He remains in critical condition. Lethbridge Police's Victim/Witness Services Unit is supporting his family.
The Charges
Joseph Cameron Brewster, 56, has been charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm and driving over .08. Under the Criminal Code of Canada, impaired driving causing bodily harm carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Brewster was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court April 29. The investigation is ongoing.
Lethbridge's Impaired Driving Problem
This didn't happen in the middle of the night after last call. It happened on a Monday afternoon, at a city intersection, during the kind of hour when kids are getting out of school and people are running errands.
Lethbridge has a well-documented history with impaired driving. According to Statistics Canada, Lethbridge is one of only a handful of Canadian cities with an impaired driving rate above the national average Statistics Canada sitting in the same category as Vancouver and Edmonton. That's a significant distinction for a city of roughly 100,000 people.
Locally, police take it seriously. In 2024, Lethbridge Police Constable Brent Paxman charged 94 impaired drivers the highest total of any officer in Alberta. Lethbridgepolice Six other LPS officers were also recognized that year for their enforcement efforts.
What the Law Says
In Alberta, police can issue Immediate Roadside Sanctions starting at a blood alcohol concentration of .05 licence suspension, vehicle seizure, and fines on the spot, no court required. At .08, it becomes a criminal matter. Impaired driving causing bodily harm, the charge Brewster faces, is among the more serious outcomes short of a fatality.
Nationally, 532 people were charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm in 2023. Statistics Canada The victim in Monday's collision is now part of that count.
If you see a suspected impaired driver, pull over safely and call 911. Do not share the location of police checkstops on social media it helps impaired drivers avoid detection.
Contact
Non-emergency: 403-328-4444. Anonymous tips: Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or p3tips.com.
Sources: Lethbridge Police Service Media Release, March 3, 2026 · Statistics Canada · Lethbridge Police Service 2024 Awards · JustCharged.ca · MADD Canada
https://www.lethbridgepolice.ca/news/posts/police-charge-male-with-impaired-driving-in-connection-with-pedestrian-collision/
