Sunday, January 16, 2005

Joint OPP Traffic and Marine Unit, MNR, STOP Officer Enforcement

This weekend a Joint Enforcement Motorized Vehicle Patrol was conducted with the OPP Traffic and Marine Unit (formerly the RIDE Unit), MNR officers and officers from the STOP program.
The patrol was conducted on the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs trails as well as on several lakes north of Sault Ste. Marie.

Combined efforts resulted in:

- two Fish and Games Act charges
- one Fish and Games Act warning
- one Liquor License Act charge
- two Liquor License Act warnings
- six Motorized Snow Vehicle Act charges
- four Motorized Snow Vehicle Act warnings
- one suspended driver charge
- one 12-hour suspension (24-year-old male had been consuming liquor and driving a snow machine)

People Continue to Drink and Drive

In general patrol vehicle stops, the Sault Ste. Marie OPP issued another 12-hour suspension to a 40-year-old male and a Liquor License Act charge to a 51-year-old male for having open liquor in his vehicle.

Transport/ Pickup Truck Collision

At approximately 10:30 a.m. Sunday, a westbound transport on Highway 17 North in Heyden struck a snowmobile trailer which was being pulled by an eastbound pickup truck turning left into the Heyden Esso parking lot. Visibility at the time was limited due to snow dust from passing vehicles. There were no injuries and no alcohol was involved. There was minor damage to the snowmobile trailer as well as moderate damage to the front end of the transport which also struck a pole and sign.

The driver of the pickup truck, a 40-year-old male from Michigan, was charged with an improper turn infraction contrary to the Highway Traffic Act. The Ministry of the Environment was notified due to a diesel fuel leak.

Smooth Rock Falls OPP Iinvestigate Highway Fatality

At approximately 8:45 a,m, on the 16th of January 2005 police received a call of a motor vehicle accident on Highway 11 in the Town of Smooth Rock Falls. Officers attended the scene and observed two commercial motor vehicles facing westbound in the north ditch directly in front of the Esso gas station.

Police, along with paramedics, located a deceased 17-year-old female subject from Port Colbourne, Ontario.

A male driver and passenger were transported to the Smooth Rock Falls hospital where they were treated for minor injuries.

Highway 11 was temporarily closed until traffic could be rerouted around Town.

Charges are pending in this incident as police continue with their investigation.