A Sault Ste. Marie man faces a number of charges following a collision last night on Highway Highway 535 east of Sudbury.
A news release issued today by the Nipissing West Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reports that 32-year-old Paul Morin is accused of crashing a pickup truck into a hydro pole in the West Arm area of the Municipality of St. Charles.
Greater Sudbury Police Service Canine Unit and the OPP Emergency Response Team were called to assist in locating the accused who had fled the scene.
Morin was found hiding in a nearby shed and arrested.
Full text of the OPP news release follows:
ST. CHARLES - On Oct. 18, 2020 at 10:30 p.m., members of the Nipissing West (Warren) Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a single vehicle collision on Highway 535, in the West Arm area, Municipality of St. Charles.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers found the severely damaged pickup truck had crashed into a hydro pole and subsequently rolled over. The driver could not be located.
The Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) Canine Unit (K9) and the OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) were deployed to assist. At 1:50 a.m., they located the accused hiding in a nearby shed, which had been forced open, and he was arrested. The driver was treated by paramedics for minor injuries.
Investigation revealed the accused was breaching a condition from a previous release order, also, the plates were not authorized for the said vehicle and it was not insured.
As a result, Paul Morin, age 32 from Sault Ste. Marie, was charged with:
• Mischief - destroys or damages property, contrary to section 430(1)(a) of the Criminal Code (CC);
• Breach of recognizance, contrary to section 811 of the CC;
• Careless driving, contrary to section 130(1) of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA);
• Use plate not authorized for vehicle, contrary to section 12(1)(d) of the HTA;
• Fail to remain, contrary to section 200(1)(a) of the HTA;
• Fail to report accident, contrary to section 199(1) of the HTA; and
• Operate a motor vehicle without insurance, contrary to section 2(1)(a) of the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act.
The accused was released on an Undertaking and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on Dec. 16, 2020 in Sudbury.
Ontario Hydro attended the scene to repair the pole.