(NORTH HURON, ON) – Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers along with firefighters from the Blyth Fire Department and Huron County paramedics responded to a three vehicle collision yesterday afternoon. Shortly before 5:00 p.m. a 62 year old Honda Accord driver from North Huron was southbound on London Road when he was in the process of slowing down to make a right hand turn onto Nature Centre Road. A Pontiac Montana minivan driven by a 16 year old female from North Huron was following the van. The mini-van driver slid into the rear of the Accord causing the Accord to enter into the northbound lane of traffic. A northbound transport truck and trailer carrying a load of salt then collided with the Honda Accord. The transport continued northbound for another 300 meters where the truck and trailer left the roadway into the west ditch. The trailer rolled, however the load of salt did not spill.
Upon speaking with the driver of the transport truck and trailer officers determined he had been drinking alcohol and was displaying signs of impairment. He was arrested for impaired driving and transported to the Huron OPP detachment for breath tests. The driver provided two samples of his breath to the Breath Technician; both tests were above the legal limit.
As a result, the driver of the transport George POORTINGA, 43, from Central Huron, has been charged with Impaired Driving and Drive Motor Vehicle – Over 80 Milligrams of Alcohol. He has a court date scheduled for the Ontario Court of Justice – Goderich on December 23, 2013. He received an automatic 90 day driver’s licence suspension.
The Honda Accord driver was transported to Wingham and District Hospital with minor injuries. The driver and a passenger in the minivan were uninjured.