(FORT FRANCES, ON) On January 11, 2015 at 9:40 p.m. members of the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were dispatched to a single motor vehicle collision on Highway 11, approximately 1.7 kilometres west of Gehl Lake.
When officers arrived at the scene of the collision, they located an unoccupied red pickup truck in the south ditch with the engine on with a Saskatchewan licence plate. Investigation revealed that the licence plate was stolen from Swift Current, SK on January 8, 2015 and the red pickup truck had been stolen from Olds, Alberta on January 7, 2015.
An OPP media release was issued throughout the OPP North West Region and information was forwarded through social media via Twitter. The public was alerted to the situation and witnesses of the collision contacted police with further information to aid the investigation.
On January 12, 2015 officers of the Superior East OPP (Wawa) Detachment were dispatched to a theft of gas occurrence resulting in the arrest of a 23 year old male. Further investigation revealed the male was the alleged driver of the stolen vehicle involved in the collision on Highway 11 in Atikokan, ON.
The OPP continue to work in consultation with Superior East OPP and Swift Current RCMP. The male remains in police custody facing several charges. The OPP and RCMP wish to thank the public for their assistance.