MAPLETON – A local man is dead following a motorcycle crash here over the long weekend.
At about 3:40pm on June 29, emergency crews were called to the 12th Line just south of Wellington Road 11, northeast of Drayton.
Wellington County OPP officials say the motorcycle was travelling north on the 12th Line when it left the road and struck the gravel shoulder before entering the east ditch and rolling over.
The driver, Rod Bowman, 55, of Mapleton Township, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
It was later confirmed Bowman suffered a heart attack.
Police are asking witnesses to call 1-888-310-1122.
Cattle truck rollover
WELLINGTON NORTH – Police are investigating an incident here last week in which a cattle truck rolled over, downing hydro wires and injuring animals on board.
On June 27 at about 7:10pm emergency crews were called for the single-vehicle collision on Wellington Road 16 just south of Highway 89.
The driver and lone occupant of the truck were not injured.
Hydro One was called to repair downed wires and a veterinarian was on the scene to tend to the injured animals.
Witnesses are asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Dirt bike crash
ESPANOLA – On June, 29, at about 2:52pm, Manitoulin OPP officers responded to a single dirt bike collision near Fox Lake Road in Whitefish Falls, Ontario.
The operator of the dirt bike, 21-year-old Tristin Strub, from Fergus, was found dead.
OPP technical collision investigators are continuing their investigation.
Canada Day traffic blitz
WELLINGTON COUNTY – From June 28 to July 1, OPP officers were engaged in an enforcement initiative throughout the province.
The zero-tolerance, traffic enforcement event was geared to make roads safer.
“We targeted the ‘big four’ (impaired operation, speeding, seat-belts and distracted driving) as they significantly endanger drivers on our highways and we also looked for other driving offences that needed correcting.” Wellington County OPP, Traffic Management Unit Manager, Sgt. Darryl Porterfield said.
As a result of the four-day initiative, Wellington County OPP laid numerous driving charges, including 96 for speeding, five for stunt driving, 17 for seatbelts, one for distracted driving, and 17 for other Highway Traffic Acts offences.
Four impaired drivers were charged and 10 drivers were charged for insurance act offences.
Wellington County OPP also laid four marine-related charges and 16 provincial offences.
Wheelie leads to charge
CENTRE WELLINGTON – A Wellington North man has been charged after police say he pulled a “wheelie” while driving past an OPP vehicle.
On June 19 at about 8:55pm, a Wellington County OPP officer was travelling west on Wellington Road 18 when he observed a 2017 off-road motorcycle travelling east.
“The officer heard the engine rev and observed the driver lift the front tire off the ground and proceed down the roadway on one tire for a brief period of time,” police stated in a press release.
Jesse Walsh, 25, of Wellington North, was charged with performing a stunt while driving a vehicle. He is to appear in Guelph court on Sept. 4.
The driver’s licence and the vehicle were seized for a period of seven days.
