Friday, February 20, 2004

SNOWMOBILE ACCIDENT CLAIMS ONE LIFE

(St. Joseph Island, Ontario) On February 19, 2004 at approximately 1:00 pm the East Algoma – Thessalon OPP were dispatched to a snowmobile accident on St. Joseph Island, Ontario. The collision occurred on the OFSC D107 Trail between the D-Line and the F & G Line.

The driver was traveling southbound on the groomed trail when he lost control and was thrown airborne into a tree.

Vincenzo SPANO (52) of Lemington, Ontario was transported to Matthews Memorial Hospital on St. Joseph Island where he was pronounced dead.

The OFSC trail at the location of the collision was closed for approximately five hours but has since been reopened.

A member of the OPP Technical Traffic Collision Investigative Team attended the scene. This accident remains under investigation.


THEFT OF GAS

(Iron Bridge, Ontario) On February 19, 2004 the East Algoma – Thessalon OPP were advised of a theft of gas from the Shell Gas Station in Iron Bridge, Ontario.

Members of the East Algoma – Thessalon Detachment located the vehicle west of Thessalon on Highway 17. A check of the vehicle determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier by Durham Regional Police.

A Young Person (who can’t be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act) was arrested and transported to the East Algoma – Thessalon Detachment.

The Young Person has been charged with Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Prohibited Driving, Theft and Breach of Probation (X3).

He will appear in bail court in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario on February 20, 2004 at 10:00 am.


The community was consulted and now heavy traffic enforcement will continue in Garden River

Garden River First Nation, Ont.,

We have consulted the many stakeholders that travel on and through Hwy 17 in the Garden River First Nation Territory and the message that has been received by the OPP is loud and clear. Traffic enforcement will become even stricter and less lenient than ever before.

Members of the Garden River First Nation Territory and the motoring public have asked for, and will receive, a stricter level of traffic enforcement throughout the stretch of Hwy 17 on the Garden River First Nation.

Starting right now the Anishinabek Police Service in Garden River, the OPP North East Region Traffic and Marine Unit and members of the Sault Ste Marie OPP detachment will concentrate on an increased presence for traffic violations throughout the Garden River First Nation Territory.

Community members and traffic users have noticed an increase in speeding, illegal passing, following too close and all other types of traffic violations in this area at all times of the day and night. With winter now on the downslide and the warmer weather approaching, the stakeholders have already notice an increase in pedestrian traffic along side of the highway


The police will use a variety of marked, unmarked police cars and public education to improve driving practices and increase the safety of all users of the highway in this community.

The Anishinabek Police Service and the OPP will be working together to get the Garden River 70 km/h zone designated as a COMMUNITY SAFETY ZONE. Any violations in a community safety zone will result in doubling of the normal fines.