Kingston Police: Driver charged, collision at ICH ‘not targeted attack’
Kingston Police have now provided further details on the collision at Kingston’s Integrated Care Hub (ICH), which occurred on the night of Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022.
Photo by Cody Stafford Arenburg/Kingstonist.
At approximately 9 p.m. that night, a vehicle “unintentionally” struck a tent, which was located on the ground of the ICH, located at 661 Montreal Street, police said in a press release just after 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022. That tent, which police said was “struck at a low rate of speed,” was occupied at the time by two individuals who were isolating due to COVID-19. Both occupants were struck by the vehicle, police confirmed.
Immediately thereafter, a crowd formed around the vehicle, with some of those involved confronting the driver.
“In an attempt to flee the crowd, the driver drove in a dangerous manner through the crowd striking two other individuals,” Kingston Police said in the press release.
According to police, the driver then drove directly to Kingston Police Headquarters and was arrested on charges related to the incident. Police also said that three individuals were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It is unclear if the four victims stuck by the vehicle sought medical attention.
In response to questions from Kingstonist, Frontenac Paramedic Services confirmed that four ambulances attended the scene, and three individuals were transported to hospital by Frontenac Paramedics.
Kingston Fire and Rescue also attended the scene, which closed down Montreal Street for a short period of time.
As a result of the collision, the 36-year-old driver of the vehicle has been charged with:
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm
- Criminal negligence causing bodily harm
- Leaving the scene of an accident which caused bodily harm
Police did not release the identity of the driver.
According to Kingston Police, the driver was held in custody and is scheduled to attend a bail hearing sometime today, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022.
“Kingston Police wishes to inform the public that this was not a targeted attacked on the Integrated Care Hub or the occupants of the grounds surrounding the Integrated Care Hub,” Kingston Police reiterated.
When asked by Kingstonist about accounts from other media outlets that the driver of the vehicle was “doing donuts” in the ICH parking lot prior to striking the tent, Const. Ash Gutheinz, Media Relations Officer for Kingston Police, confirmed that was not the case.
In response to questions about how police ascertained that the collisions were not intentional on the part of the driver, Gutheinz provided the following statement:
“Kingston Police conducted a thorough investigation at the scene. Witness accounts/statements from individuals at the scene have indicated that this was an unintentional collision and the police investigation has corroborated this. Additionally the accused, following the incident, drove directly to Kingston Police headquarters to turn themselves in and was subsequently arrested and charged for his actions.”
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the events is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Blair Watt at 613-549-4660 ext. 6320, or via email at [email protected].
Tips can also be made anonymously by calling the Kingston Police general number (613-549-4660 ext. 0) and requesting to remain anonymous.