A news release issued today by the East Algoma Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reports that a 16-year-old driver from Echo Bay has been charged with careless driving following an incident over the weekend near St. Joseph Island.
It is alleged that the accused intentionally drove towards a group of individuals and struck an 18-year-old pedestrian with his pickup truck.
The victim was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.
Full text of the OPP news release follows:
TARBUTT-TARBUTT ADDITIONAL TOWNSHIP - On Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020 shortly after 9:45 p.m., members from the East Algoma Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a traffic complaint where a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Highway 17 and Highway 548 within Tarbutt-Tarbutt Additional Township.
The investigation determined, three individuals were out of their vehicle at a local gas station parking lot on Highway 17. [It is alleged that] a black pickup truck attempted to strike the three pedestrians. The driver was known to the pedestrians. They departed the area and attended a residence.
A short time later they returned to a carpool parking lot at the junction of Highway 548 and Highway 17. While out of their vehicles, the same black pickup entered the carpool area. It drove towards them aggressively, eventually striking one of the individuals and knocking that person to the ground. The pickup truck then left the area without stopping to check on the individual.
The 18-year-old pedestrian was transported via ambulance to local hospital in Richards Landing with non-life-threatening injuries and was later released.
Shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2020, a 16-year-old from Echo Bay was charged with:
• Two counts of dangerous operation, contrary to section 320.13(1) of the Criminal Code
The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Blind River on Jan. 7, 2021