Man charged with impaired driving after leaving the scene of two collisions
A Verona man involved in two collisions has been arrested and charged after he fled the scene of both accidents, fleeing on foot into the woods after the second incident.
Kingston Police were notified of a driver who failed to remain at the scene of a collision at Princess and Macdonnell Streets that took place at approximately 10:35 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. There, witnesses had seen a red Dodge pickup truck leave the scene of the collision after hitting a while motor vehicle, according to Kingston Police.
Police then located the vehicle unattended in the area of Princess and Clergy Streets, and white paint transfer was visible on the front bumper of the truck. Police also observed an alcoholic beverage in the console of the vehicle. In an effort to locate the driver of the vehicle, police went to a nearby restaurant, and, upon their return, the suspect vehicle had been driven away.
Less than an hour later at 11:20 p.m., police were informed that the suspect vehicle had been involved in a second collision on Highway 38. The truck was rolled in the middle of the road, and witnesses to that collision observed the accused man as he fled into the nearby woods afterwards. Police located the vehicle, still on its roof, and Highway 38 was briefly closed as a search for the accused man was initiated.
Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) located and arrested the accused man at his residence in Verona at approximately 1:40 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. The accused man was turned over to Kingston Police, who arrested the man and transported him to Kingston Police Headquarters. He was later released on conditions with a future court date.
The 29-year-old local man was charged with impaired operation of a conveyance (vehicle), and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident while failing to give name. Additionally, his driver’s licence was automatically suspended for 90 days, and he will face a one-year suspension if convicted. The vehicle was seized and impounded for seven days, and the accused will be responsible for all related fees and fines.