(RENFREW, ON) – The Renfrew Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigated 473 calls for service during the previous two week, including animal complaints, domestic disputes, mischief, motor vehicle collisions and impaired drivers.
Civic Holiday Enforcement to include “Move Over” Law
The OPP will be focusing their enforcement efforts over the Civic Holiday Long weekend on traffic and marine safety. Motorists can expect to see officers specifically targeting aggressive drivers, drivers and passengers not using seatbelts, impaired drivers, distracted drivers, and motorists who ignore the Move Over Law, which required drivers to yield to emergency vehicles with their emergency lights activated. The law [Highway Traffic Act Section 159 (2)(3)] requires drivers to slow down and proceed with caution when approaching an emergency vehicle parked on the side of the highway with its lights activated. If the highway has more than one lane, the law requires the driver to move over and leave one lane between their vehicle and the parked emergency vehicle when it can be done safely. Failure to do so can result in fines from $400 to $2,000 and three demerit points for a first offence.
Domestic Disputes
Renfrew OPP officers responded to 24 domestic disputes during the previous two weeks. No criminal charges were laid.
Impaired Drivers
Renfrew OPP officers were busy with five impaired drivers, one on each of the following dates: July 15, 18, 19, 20 and 23. Charges were laid in all cases.
On Wednesday July 15 at 11:50am officers responded to Mullins road to a reported collision. Officers attended with Renfrew County Paramedics and the Fire Dept. as the male driver of the only vehicle involved in the collision needed to be extricated. Officers learned the male driver of the 2013 GMC Sierra pick-up truck had been travelling north on Mullins road when he left the roadway, entered the ditch, and rolled several times. The driver had been drinking. He was extricated and transported by paramedics to hospital. Breath tests were done at the hospital, and as a result Richard Tim Perry 49 of Horton Township was charged with impaired driving and driving over 80mgs. He was released on a promise to appear in court in Renfrew on August 26. Provincial Constable Denys Baranovskiy investigated.
On Saturday July 18 at 6:18am OPP officers were dispatched to a single vehicle collision on Highway 417 at White Lake Road. The investigation revealed the male driver had fallen asleep, drove into the median and rolled over. The male driver had been drinking and refused to provide a sample of his breath to the officers for a roadside alcohol screening test. As a result Luke SAUNDERS 38 of Ottawa was charged with failing or refusing to provide a breath sample. He was released on an appearance notice for court in Renfrew on August 26. Provincial Constable Carlvin Burgins investigated.
On Sunday July 19 at 1:29 am police responded to a report of a single vehicle collision on Cedar Haven Road in Whitewater Region Township and the caller was reporting the driver was impaired. Officers attended and investigated the collision in which the driver of a 2011 Buick Lucerne turned into a private drive and struck a gate. The driver then backed out of the driveway and got stuck in a ditch. The male driver was alone at the time and was arrested for impaired driving. Following breath tests at the detachment Ian BULMER 65 of Loyalist Township was charged with impaired care or control of a motor vehicle. He was released on a promise to appear in court in Renfrew on August 12. Provincial Constable Philip Holmes investigated.
On Monday July 20 at 3:15pm a male was driving his 2004 Hyundai Elantra motor vehicle northbound on Highway 132 near Gorra Hill Road when he lost control and went into the ditch. Police responded and investigated. The injured driver was taken to hospital by paramedics. Following breath tests at the hospital Peter SMITH 64 of Admaston Bromley was charged with impaired driving and driving over 80mgs. He was released on a promise to appear in court in Renfrew on August 12. Provincial Constable Kyle Mask investigated.
On Thursday July 23 at 11:07pm OPP officers responded to a report of a possible impaired driver that had gone through the drive thru at Wendy’s on Baskin Drive in Arnprior. Police located the 2008 Hyundai Elantra in a parking lot on Baskin Drive. The male in the driver’s seat had been drinking and failed a roadside alcohol screening test. Following breath tests at the detachment Adam CHAMPLIN 27 of Ottawa was charged with impaired care or control of a motor vehicle, possession of marihuana and being a novice driver with a blood alcohol content (BAC) above zero. He was released on a promise to appear in court in Renfrew on September 16. Provincial Constable Walid Kandar investigated.
Cruisers Involved in Two Separate Collisions, No Serious Injuries
Charges were laid in two separate collisions involving OPP cruisers, one in Arnprior the other on Highway 17 in Horton Township. On Sunday July 19 at approximately 11:40am Provincial Constable Raul Pasta Junior was operating a cruiser driving westbound on Madawaska Blvd in Arnprior when a 2014 Dodge Journey exited a parking lot and drove in front of the cruiser. The front of the cruiser struck the Journey on the driver’s side. No one suffered injuries and both vehicles needed to be towed from the scene. Robert Cavanaugh 80 of Kinburn was charged with failing to yield from a private driveway. He was issued an offence notice for the offence. Sgt Bryan Schutt investigated.
On Thursday July 23 at approximately 9:21pm Sergeant Don Francis was driving a fully marked cruiser on Highway 17 eastbound approaching Gillan Road in Horton Township. A 2006 Chevrolet Malibu was stopped at the stop sign on Gillan road. The malibu turned left in front of the police cruiser and was struck on the driver’s side. Both drivers suffered minor injuries. Allison CHARTRAND 20 of Horton Township was issued a provincial offence notice for failing to yield to traffic on a through road. Provincial Constable Kevin Rebertz investigated.
Theft
On July 16 OPP officers were contacted by loss prevention personnel from Rexall Pharmacy to report an internal theft. Police investigated and learned that an employee had been stealing narcotics from the store in Arnprior over a period of several months. Following the police investigation Brittany HULAN 30 of Perth was arrested and charged with two counts of theft under $5,000 and four counts of trafficking in a schedule 1 drug. She was released on a promise to appear in court in Renfrew on September 16. Provincial Constable Lisa Nicholas and Detective Constable Hayley Chaplin investigated.
