Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Echo Bay Man Dies In
Motor Vehicle Collision - Highway 69

(Sudbury) – Officers from the Sudbury Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police responded to a motor vehicle collision which occurred at 7:15 a.m. this morning on Highway 69, Bigwood Township (1.5 kilometers south of Allstone Road).

A northbound full size van crossed the centre line and collided head-on with a southbound tractor-trailer unit.

The driver of the van, William Fredrick HOOEY, age 26, of Echo Bay, ON, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, a southern Ontario male, was taken to the St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Sudbury by ambulance and suffers from serious but non-life threatening injuries.

An OPP Technical Traffic Collision Investigator and a Collision Reconstructionist attended the scene to assist with the investigation. The French River Fire Department also attended the scene.

As a result of a diesel spill due to the collision, the Ministry of Environment was notified and attended the scene.

The highway had to be closed for eight hours for the investigation along with clean-up and has just been re-opened to both northbound and southbound traffic.

A post mortem is scheduled to be conducted tomorrow in Sudbury to determine the cause of death.

The investigation is continuing.

One Confirmed Fatally Motor Vehicle Collision - Highway 69

(Sudbury) – Officers from the Sudbury Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police are presently at the scene of a motor vehicle collision which occurred shortly after 7:00 a.m. this morning on Highway 69, north of the French River.

One occupant was killed in the collision involving a tractor-trailer unit and a mini-van. No names are being released pending notification of next-of-kin.

An OPP Technical Traffic Collision Investigator and a Collision Reconstructionist are at the scene assisting with the investigation.

Highway 69 is expected to be closed and hoped to be re-opened around 2:30 p.m and a detour is in place as follows: Northbound traffic can take Highway 607 to Highway 64 and then back West onto Highway 64. Southbound traffic can turn eastbound onto Highway 64 and then South on Highway 607 back onto Highway 69. The detour can only be taken by light vehicles. No heavy traffic is allowed on the detour route.


NEIGHBOURS JOIN WITH POLICE TO FIND WESTERN FUGITIVES

Batchawana, Ont., A joint effort between the residents of Batchawana and members of the OPP proved to be a great crime fighting tool yesterday afternoon.

Yesterday at about 2:30 p.m. the OPP received a report of a theft of gas from a service station in Montreal River. An officer with the Sault Ste Marie Detachment spotted the vehicle southbound on Hwy 17 in the Batchawana area. The officer caught up to the vehicle south of the Batchawana River. The driver turned off Hwy 17 and onto a side road. The suspect vehicle then turned around in a driveway and tried to ram the police car.

The officer backed out of the way and the vehicle sped off toward Hwy 17. The driver quickly lost control of his vehicle and went off the roadway and into a tree. Two occupants of the vehicle, a male and a female, fled the scene in opposite directions.

Residents of the area quickly became aware of what was going on. Area residents spotted one of the two suspects attempting to hide in the area and called police. This suspect was taken into custody.

Once again an area resident reported to police that they heard a dog barking and noise from a neighbouring camp where no one was suppose to be. Officers attended that area and located one male walking on the beach area. It was determined that the male broke into an unoccupied home, stole clothing and was attempting to leave the area.

As a result of this investigation twenty four year old Michael Richard HAWES, of British Columbia was taken into custody. He will appear in bail court this morning and faces the following litany of charges. Theft Under $5000.00, Possession of Stolen Property Under $5000.00, Dangerous Operation of Motor Vehicle, Fail to Stop For Police, Breach of Probation, and Driving While Disqualified.

His accomplice, twenty four year old Sara Denise RACE, of British Columbia faces charges of Theft and Possession of Property Under $5000.00. Both accused will appear in bail court this morning.

Sault Ste Marie OPP would like to thank all the residents of Pine Grove Road area in Batchawana. Without the outstanding cooperation of all residents in that area, these two traveling criminals would not have been taken into custody as fast as they were.

THANK YOU!