Being pulled over by a police officer who looked like a member of a SWAT team was only the beginning of the problems for a driver who drank to relieve stress.

Sandra Tedor, 41, of Washago was fined $600 plus a victim surcharge of $60 and is prohibited from driving for a year, after she pleaded guilty to driving with a blood-alcohol reading over 80 mg in 100 ml of blood in Bracebridge court recently.

Crown attorney Ken Anthony told the court that on the morning of April 11, an off-duty police officer was driving west on Hwy. 118 East when she noticed the Jeep in front of her swerving left and right, hitting the shoulder, and at one point heading toward an oncoming school bus. When the officer pulled the vehicle over, the driver, Tedor got out, hanging onto the door as the Jeep began to roll. The officer yelled for Tedor to put the vehicle in park and when she did not, the officer jumped in and did it herself.

Tedor was taken to the Bracebridge detachment to undergo breath tests. Her subsequent readings were 110 mg and 100 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood.

“The officer was in full tactical gear on her way to shooting practice and unnerved Ms. Tedor,” said duty counsel Bruce Thomson.

The accused had spent the night alone in the country and drank to relieve her anxiety, he said.