PUSLINCH – A Richmond Hill man faces numerous charges after a brief police chase ended with police finding drugs and a loaded hand gun in a vehicle.
On Dec. 31 at about 12:55am Wellington County OPP officers were conducting a RIDE program on Brock Road south.
While speaking with the male driver of a sedan, police detected the odour of suspected fresh cannabis inside the vehicle.
“The driver was directed to move the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway, which they did briefly, prior to accelerating away at a high rate of speed,” police stated in a press release.
The vehicle continued eastbound on Gilmour Road and when police approached the intersection of Victoria Road and Gilmour Road they saw the vehicle about 100 metres into a field and up against several trees after it failed to stop at the stop sign.
“The driver exited the vehicle and attempted to evade police however, was taken into custody without incident,” police stated.
Seyed Amir Hossein YaghoubI-Araghi, 28, of Richmond Hill, faces the following charges: flight from police, dangerous driving, unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm, possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime (under $5,000), possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and three counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition while prohibited.
The accused was held in custody pending the outcome of a “show cause” hearing.
Deadly collision
ERIN – A Caledon man is dead following a serious head-on crash here.
On Jan. 5 at about 6:25pm emergency crews responded to a serious two-vehicle collision on Trafalgar Road near Sideroad 17 in Erin.
Police say a southbound SUV collided head-on with a northbound sedan.
The driver of the sedan, Jayson Alexander Waddell, 36, of Caledon, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV, an 18-year-old from Barrie, was transported to a Georgetown hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.
Wellington County OPP is asking anyone that may have witnessed the collision to call 1-888-310-1122.
Man dies after crash
CENTRE WELLINGTON – On Dec. 22 at about 4pm Wellington County OPP responded to a single-vehicle collision on Wellington Road 7 south of Elora.
Police say a grey SUV entered the ditch and struck a tree. Emergency crews responded and the driver was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.
Three days later, on Dec. 25, the driver, Fernand Villeneuve, 92, of Guelph, succumbed to his injuries.
Woman dies over two weeks after crash
WELLINGTON NORTH – A young woman from Baden has died from injuries sustained in a crash here one week before Christmas.
On Dec. 18 at about 8:05am emergency crews responded to a serious head-on collision involving a northbound SUV and southbound sedan on Highway 6 north of Arthur.
Both drivers were transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.
Eighteen days later, on Jan. 5, Zoey Lynn Waters, 18, of Baden, died as a result of injuries sustained in the collision.
Drugs, dangerous driving
GUELPH – A Fergus man faces numerous charges after a vehicle driving erratically was stopped by police.
On Jan. 5 at about 9:59am, a Guelph Police officer near the intersection of Speedvale Avenue West and Brentwood Drive in Guelph observed a vehicle skid into a curb, quickly reverse (causing the tires to squeal) and then quickly accelerate into a nearby driveway.
“As the traffic stop was initiated, police observed the adult male driver jump out of the driver’s seat into the back passenger seat,” police stated in a press release.
“The vehicle then began rolling backwards, crashing into the police cruiser, while the front passenger climbed into the driver’s seat. The initial driver then jumped into the front passenger seat. He was subsequently arrested.”
Police say a search of the driver revealed purple fentanyl and amphetamine salt pills.
A 37-year-old Fergus man was charged with dangerous driving, two counts each of driving while suspended and possession for the purpose of trafficking, and three counts of breach of probation.
He was held for a bail hearing on Jan. 6.
Festive RIDE
campaign results
WELLINGTON COUNTY – The 2019 OPP Festive Reduce Impaired Drive Everywhere (RIDE) campaign is officially over – and once again Wellington County led all OPP jurisdictions in alcohol-related driving charges.
Wellington County OPP conducted 112 RIDE checks throughout the campaign – Nov. 23 to Jan. 2 – and charged a total of 29 people with impaired driving offences (including refusal to provide a breath sample); 30 more received warning-range suspensions (50 to 80mg of alcohol per 100ml blood).
“The Wellington County OPP will continue to conduct RIDE programs throughout the year in an effort to combat impaired driving and improve traffic safety for everyone in Wellington County,” police stated in a press release.
Across the OPP’s West Region, officers conducted 1,461 RIDE events between Nov. 23 and Jan. 2.
Charges laid include: 156 for impaired driving, driving over 80mg or refusal to provide a breath sample and 93 warning range suspensions.
In 2018-19, West Region OPP officers conducted 1,658 RIDE events, laying the following charges: 136 for impaired driving, driving over 80mg or refusing to provide a breath sample and 115 warning range suspensions.
