A 32-year-old Oro-Medonte man will appear in court later this month to face several charges related to a three-vehicle crash on Mapleview Drive East in south-end Barrie late Friday afternoon.
Barrie police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon says the accused has been charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle, driving over .80 milligrams and failing to comply with a probation order.
“The now-accused was travelling westbound on Mapleview Drive. At Welham Road, there are three lanes for eastbound and three lanes for westbound. He was travelling in the centre lane and failed to stop for a red light,” Leon said, adding the speed limit in that area is 60 kilometres per hour.
Leon said the accused allegedly changed lanes and "drove into a stopped motor vehicle who was stopped because of traffic ahead."
That vehicle was pushed into a third car, he added.
The occupants of the vehicles were taken by ambulance to Royal Victoria Regional Hospital, however no serious injuries were sustained, according to police.
“We are very grateful for that,” said Leon, adding speed and alcohol are both believed to be factors in the collision. “The level of impairment was significant. In today’s day and age, there is no reason for that. If people are going to consume alcohol, there are options available so these types of collisions do not occur.
"This was a totally preventable collision and we are just very fortunate that nobody sustained any serious life-threatening or life-altering injuries.”
Katryl Steele was in the area Friday afternoon when the crash occurred, explaining via email that he was located directly beside the car that was impacted by the accused impaired driver.
“There was absolutely no regard for human life nor an attempt to stop the truck. He was flying up the middle lane behind my vehicle and swerved over last second, at which point he impacted the blue Ford Edge in his black F-150,” he said. “The vehicle was hit so hard the rear-hatch glass fragmented and blew out in one simultaneous moment.”
The impact was so violent that it forced the Ford into the back of a black Honda Civic or Accord, Steele added.
“Both vehicles had to be turned as fire was starting to ignite; another civilian used a fire extinguisher to deter any flames from coming alive once the vehicles and drivers were secured,” he said, adding he was then able to move his own vehicle into the live lane of traffic on the opposing side of the street to help direct traffic until emergency services arrived.
Friday’s crash occurred just as residents around the city were preparing to begin their Thanksgiving long weekend, and was one of two alleged alcohol-related incidents over the long weekend, said Leon.
Barrie police were participating with other police services and organizations in Operation Impact, which began Oct. 7, and is a nationwide law enforcement initiative where departments across the country work together to ensure the safety of Canadian roads.
“Here we were, starting the weekend off with a very significant collision that was 100 per cent preventable,” said Leon, adding Barrie police laid one other charge related to impaired driving early Monday morning.
“One arrest is one too many, as far as I am concerned at this point," Leon said. "This is something that law enforcement speaks to all the time. If people have a change in plans, where all of a sudden they’ve been consuming alcoholic beverages or recreational cannabis, they should know better and yet they’re still putting themselves behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and putting other people’s lives at risk.
"We are fortunate that on Friday afternoon we didn’t have anyone seriously injured. People were taken to hospital and checked over but I saw the vehicle that was responsible for this, and we are very fortunate that we aren’t dealing with a different set of circumstances.”
