A 56-year-old City of Kawartha Lakes man is facing multiple charges following a serious head-on collision on Highway 7 between Lindsay and Omemee early Thursday morning (August 13).
According to Kawartha Lakes Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), officers responded to the collision at around 1:20 a.m. and found a white Dodge Ram pickup truck and a Toyota RAV4 with significant damage.
The driver of the RAV4 was taken to hospital with injuries that police said were not believed to be life-threatening. The driver of the pickup truck was not at the scene when officers arrived.
During their investigation, police received information that the pickup truck driver had fled on foot and was behaving erratically, allegedly approaching occupied vehicles and nearby homes.
Police began searching the area and soon located a suspect, who allegedly ran away from officers. Police said the man continued to disregard their commands and resisted arrest before multiple officers took him into custody.
Officers also seized a bladed weapon and other evidence believed to be connected to the incident.
The accused man has been charged with impaired operation by alcohol and drugs, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failing to stop after an accident, resisting a peace officer, assault, three counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, theft of a motor vehicle, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
He was taken into custody pending a bail hearing. None of the charges has been proven in court.
Police thanked members of the public who provided information about the accused man’s alleged actions following the collision.
Highway 7 was closed while police investigated and documented the scene.
The police investigation into the incident is continuing. Anyone who witnessed the collision or the events that followed and who has not yet spoken with investigators can call the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Anonymous tips can be submitted to Kawartha-Haliburton Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or through www.khcrimestoppers.com.
