Ontario woman jailed for driving in U.S. with Canadian license
An Ontario woman was left mortified after a U.S. police officer arrested her for driving in the country with a Canadian driving license. Last month the 27-year-old graduate was driving through Georgia to Tennessee on the I-75-a popular route travelled by snowbirds making the journey to and from Florida, when she was pulled over for speeding. Emily Nield had been completing a master’s degree in geology in The States.
When she produced her valid Canadian license, she was taken aback by the officer’s response. "She kept saying, 'No, Canadian licences are not accepted,'" Emily Nield told CBC. "I was flabbergasted. I just kept saying this can't be right — a Canadian licence is always valid."
Nields was asked to provide proof of her passport, Nexus card and birth certificate-all of which she had on her cell phone. However, despite her pleas, this is when the officer handcuffed her and began to make a formal arrest.
"It was the most horrendous incident of my life," said Nield. "It was mortifying. I was terrified the entire time."
Ms Nield managed to send a video, via the social media platform Snapchat, to her friends back home alerting them of what had happened. The app also has a GPS feature which allowed her loved ones to locate her.
Once at the police station, the Ontario resident was charged with speeding, for driving 87 mph in a 70 mph zone, and additionally for driving without a license. Police officers also took her mug shot, fingerprints, and held her in a cell. Although Ms Nield was permitted to speak to her friends, who contacted the Sheriff's office in Cooks County, GA, after receiving the Snapchat video. However, she also claims that when she asked to speak to the Canadian Consulate or her parents, the police officers ignored her requests.
It is not illegal to drive with a Canadian license in the state of Georgia, however foreign drivers should always have a physical copy of additional identification-such as their passport-to hand. Police officers are entitled to ask for a supporting piece of ID. You may also be asked to produce proof of your valid car insurance-this may be a seperate policy to the one you drive on while on Canadian soil. Additionally, if you plan on driving in the US be sure to learn the rules of the road and abide by them-this includes being aware of the speed limit.
In the end Ms Nield was allowed to bail herself out of jail, paying $880 bonds via her debit card, but will be expected to appear in a US court on June 12. Although Nield is now safely back at home in Kleinburg, Ontario, she must pay an additional $200 to remove her car from the impound where it currently resides. Moving forward, with the help of a family friend who is a lawyer in Virginia, Ms Nield is set to have her charges expunged.
"I just kept thinking this would ruin me," Nield told CBC Toronto. "Any job application you have to check a box. Are you a criminal? Have you ever been convicted or arrested for anything?”
The process has been given the go-ahead by a judge, and Ms Nield’s criminal record should be wiped clean within the next few weeks.
While Emily says, “an apology is what I would love the most,” her story serves as a harsh reminder to Canadian’s to always be aware of road laws and technicalities when driving in the United States. The Cooks County Sheriff's office has not given comment at this time.