THUNDER BAY – Crimebeat – Special to NNL – At 12:50AM on Tuesday morning, during emergency water main repairs on the 400 block of Simpson Street, a driver, apparently drunk, plowed through warning signs and into a building. Police and EMS arrived within a few minutes of being called.
The driver was conscious when he was taken in an ambulance with what appear to be minor injuries. No city workers appeared to have been injured. The car is likely a write-off. There was no damage to the building.
The water main repairs began on Monday night, and will likely continue until mid-day Tuesday.
Simpson Street between Dease and Pruden is closed until then. Traffic is being diverted to McKenzie and Hardisty Streets.
Detours off of Simpson Street can become tricky during rush hours, so drivers should avoid Simpson Street if possible.
Thunder Bay Police update that the male driver was arrested at the scene for Impaired Driving, and Dangerous Driving and brought to 1200 Balmoral Street for breath tests. The suspect was also charged with numerous Highway Traffic Act offences as well as driving a vehicle without insurance. The same individual had been charged with Impaired Driving on Feburary 27, 2012.
Story and photograph by Derek Silver.
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