A 32-year-old Sault Ste. Marie man was arrested on Friday after police recovered a stolen vehicle that had been disabled by OnStar in the Garden River area.
A news release issued by the Sault Ste. Marie Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police reports that the vehicle was found stuck in snow on an Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs trail.
The Canine Unit was used to track the suspect, Edward Hodgson, to a gas station on Highway 17B where he was arrested.
Full text of the news release follows:
GARDEN RIVER FIRST NATION - On April 22, 2022 shortly after 9 a.m., members from the Sault Ste Marie Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Northeast Region (Sault Ste Marie) Canine Unit assisted Sault Ste. Marie Police Service in locating a stolen vehicle from the City of Sault Ste Marie.
Investigation determined OnStar disabled the stolen vehicle and was currently near the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) Trail within the community of Garden River. OPP attended the area of Belleau Lake Road and the OFSC trail and located the SUV on the snowmobile trail stuck in the snow.
With the assistance of Canine, police located an individual sitting on a bench outside a local gas station on Highway 17B in the community of Garden River. The person had wet shoes and pants soaking wet below the knees. After further investigation, it was learned the person was wanted by Sault Ste. Marie Police Service. The person was subsequently arrested and property from the stolen vehicle was in their possession.
As a result, Edward Hodgson, 32 years of age from Sault Ste. Marie, was charged with:
• Possession property obtained by crime over $5,000, contrary to section 354(1)(a) of the Criminal Code (CC)
• Possession property obtained by crime under $5,000, contrary to section 354(1)(a) of the CC (three counts)
The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sault Ste Marie on May 30, 2022.