THUNDER BAY – On Friday, September 22, 2017, officers from the Thunder Bay Detachment responded to information received from the Ignace Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police that an eastbound grey Mercedes failed to stop for police on Highway 17 near Ignace.
At approximately 10:52PM EDT OPP officers located near the Highway 11 and 17 junctions (Shabaqua Corners) observed the eastbound suspect vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed but lost sight of it a short time later. Officers positioned east of this location did not observe the suspect vehicle and it was believed by police that it had travelled a secondary road in an attempt to evade detection.
On Saturday, September 23, 2017, at approximately 12:10 am the eastbound suspect vehicle was located and stopped on Highway 11-17 near the Highway 102 junction. The male driver was arrested for Fail to Stop for Police and the passengers, a male and female, were arrested for Possession of Marihuana. As a result of this investigation the female passenger, Raina RAJ, 18-years-of-age, from Hamilton was charged with Possession of Marihuana contrary to section 4(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. She was released on a Recognizance with a court date of November 17, 2017.
In what could be a follow-up to this chase, on Sunday, September 24, 2017, at approximately 11:07AM EDT, residents of Finmark Road in Dawson Road Lots Township called the Ontario Provincial Police to advise of a suspicious grey coloured vehicle and persons that appeared to be looking for something in the bush. The Finmark Road residents requested that the suspicious persons leave the area and they did.
Officers attended Finmark Road area and located a duffel bag containing firearms and drugs. The incident remains under investigation.
