(PERTH COUNTY, ON) Perth County OPP officers reported a number of concerning incidents while engaged in their regular duties from Monday afternoon August 30 to Tuesday morning August 31, 2010.
Shortly before 3 p.m. on Monday August 30th an officer stopped a motorist north of Listowel. A Ministry of Transportation driver’s licence check was done on the man. He was found to have been unlicensed since 1995. The 53 year old man from the Municipality of North Perth was charged with driving with no licence and his vehicle was towed.
While conducting radar patrol along Hwy. 23 north of Bornholm at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Monday August 30, 2010, a Perth County OPP officer locked a motorcycle on radar at 230 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. Realizing that the motorcyclist had not seen the cruisers activated emergency lights, the officer decided not to initiate a pursuit in the interest of the motorcyclist and the public’s safety. Other officers were dispatched to intercept the motorcycle but unable to locate it.
A member of the Perth County Traffic unit was operating a laser speed measuring device on James St. N. in St.Marys shortly before 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday August 31, 2010. A north bound car’s speed was recorded at 103 km/h in a posted 50 km/h zone. The car was pulled over and the 21 year old male driver from St.Marys was charged with stunt driving. He received an immediate 7-day licence suspension and a 7-day vehicle impoundment.
Shortly after 9 a.m. on Tuesday August 31, 2010 a Perth County OPP officer observed a north bound pickup truck on James St. N. in St.Marys whose driver was reading a newspaper. The officer followed the car and activated the cruisers emergency lighting. The driver of the pickup truck was turning pages and the car was weaving within its lane. When the driver finally noticed the police car behind him he folded the newspaper and set it on the seat beside him. The 31 year old male driver from the Township of Perth South was charged with careless driving.
Around 9 a.m. on Tuesday August 31, 2010 a Perth County OPP officer operating a fully marked cruiser was driving east bound on Perth Line 20 east of Fullarton. The officer observed a west bound SUV (sports utility vehicle) start to pass other west bound traffic. The officer who had the police radar activated observed the SUV accelerate to 129 km/h as it approached the cruiser. The officer made an evasive manoeuvre onto the south shoulder so as to avoid a collision. The 19 year old female driver from Waterdown was charged with pass on roadway – not clear – approaching traffic, and with speeding.
“These five incidences within a 24 hour period in Perth County are of concern to me†said Staff Sergeant Joel Skelding of the Perth County OPP. “Our final long weekend of the summer season is almost upon us and we will have many families and individuals travelling through our county. I truly hope that people will show more responsibility for the safety of themselves and their fellow motorists than what we have seen these 5 motorists do. Please keep safety as your priority this long weekendâ€.