Two Collisions Near Kirkton – Norman Riddell – Drunk Driving

(TOWNSHIP OF PERTH SOUTH, ON) On Tuesday October 02, 2012 shortly after 9 p.m., Perth County OPP officers were dispatched to a two vehicle crash on Perth Line 8 just east of Kirkton.

Investigation revealed that a west bound Pontiac Grand Am drove into the back of a west bound GMC Sierra pickup truck. The impact forced the pickup truck into the south ditch where it rolled and came to rest on its roof. The Grand Am came to rest on the road.

The driver of a pickup truck arriving at the collision scene parked his vehicle with its hazard lights activated on the north shoulder of Line 8, east of the collision scene. The pickup truck driver assisted in removing the lone male occupant from the Grand Am just before a west bound Kia Sportage, whose driver failed to see collision scene, drove into the Grand Am. The Sportage then struck the stopped pickup truck on the north shoulder forcing it into the ditch.

Upon police arrival it was determined that the male driver of the Grand Am had consumed alcohol. The Gand Am driver was transported by ambulance to St.Marys Memorial Hospital, where after being cleared medically he failed who Intoxilyzer breath tests.

The 29 year old driver of the Sierra pickup from the Township of Perth South sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene, while the 79 year old driver of the Sportage from South Huron was treated and released for his minor injuries at the St.Marys Memorial Hospital.

The Grand Am driver, Norman RIDDELL (32) from South Huron has been charged with “impaired driving cause bodily harm”, and with “exceed 80 milligrams of blood alcohol content, operate motor vehicle, cause accident with bodily harm”. He is to appear in Stratford at the Ontario Court of Justice on November 05, 2012, to answer to these charges.

Perth Line 8 between Kirkton and Perth Road 161 remained closed from the time of the collision until 8 a.m. on Wednesday October 03, 2012. This allowed the OPP Western Region Traffic Collision Investigation Unit to safely investigate this crash and to have large amounts of debris removed from the scene.

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