Wednesday, January 28, 2009

HIGHWAY 17 NORTH Fatal Crash

(Aweres Twp., ON) –Sault Ste Marie Detachment officers and a Technical Traffic Accident Investigator are investigating a single motor vehicle crash that occurred at 12:30 a.m. on Hwy# 17 near Heyden, 8 km north of Sault Ste Marie

The driver and only occupant of the vehicle was transported by ambulance to Sault Area hospital where he was pronounced deceased upon arrival.

Due to the small amount of damage to the vehicle police suspect the cause of death to be from medical reasons and not the crash. More information as to the cause of death will be known when a post mortem examination is completed.

The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

OPP will advise when further information becomes available.

Hwy Re-opened

The Ontario Provincial Police advise the public that Hwy 17 is fully re-opened.

Location: Hwy 17 at Shetland Trailer Park, Awares Twp

Detachment area: Sault Ste Marie

Time of road closure: 1:30 pm

Reason for the closure: Motor vehicle collision

Detour:

Estimated duration of closure:

Time road reopened: 3:15pm

- UPDATE - POLICE INVESTIGATING HOMICIDE IN WIKWEMIKONG

Police Identify Victim and Three Accused

(WIKWEMIKONG, ON) – Police have identified all three men arrested in connection with the murder of a local man. The victim is Clarence LEWIS, 62 years old of Wikwemikong. An autopsy performed at the Sudbury Regional Hospital on January 27, 2009 confirmed that Mr. LEWIS died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head.

On January 25, 2009 at approximately 2:01 PM. Wikwemikong Tribal Police received a 911 call of a male found dead inside a residence on Wikwemikong Way on the Wikwemikong Reserve.

Officers from Wikwemikong Tribal Police, and Sudbury Area Ambulance medics responded to the residence. An intensive investigation into this occurrence led police to determine that the victim had been murdered. Three local men were identified as suspects in this homicide and were subsequently arrested.

On January 26, 2009 Travis ESQUIMAUX, 22 years, of Wikwemikong was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder. Later the same day, Jordan TRUDEAU, 27 years, turned himself in at the Wikwemikong Tribal Police station. Patrique GAREAU, 20 years, was arrested later in Sudbury by the Greater Sudbury Police Service. Both men are from Wikwemikong and both have been charged with First Degree Murder.

The police would like to advise the community that, although the investigation is still ongoing, it is believed that all the persons responsible for this murder have been apprehended.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Northeast Region Crime Unit and the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) under the direction of Detective Inspector Bernie Murphy of CIB are assisting with the investigation at the request of the Wikwemikong Tribal Police.

Police are asking anyone that may have information in relation to this investigation to call police at 1-888-310-1122.