GREENSTONE – On Thursday, October 26, 2017, at approximately 8:13 pm, a uniform member of the Greenstone detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) observed a motor vehicle parked on Wild Goose Beach Road about half a kilometre north of Highway 11 in the Municipality of Greenstone. As this road is not regularly used by the general public, and the vehicle was stationary, the officer stopped to see if the driver required assistance.
During the interaction with the officer, the driver abruptly drove off at high speeds.
In the interest of public safety, police did not initiate a pursuit, opting instead to broadcast via police radio, a description of the vehicle and driver to other officers throughout the area.
At 9:51 pm, a uniformed member of the Anishnabek Police Service located the vehicle on Highway 11 near Beardmore. The driver again fled from police but, through coordination with members of the Nipigon OPP, a spike belt was successfully deployed and the vehicle came safely to a stop on Highway 11 at Polly Lake Road.
The driver, Matthew BURT, 26 years old of Grand Prairie Alberta was arrested and transported to the Nipigon OPP detachment. BURT has been charged with:
- Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle contrary to section 249 (1) of the Criminal Code
- Two counts of Flight from Police contrary to section 249.1 of the Criminal Code
- Possession of Break and Enter Tools contrary to section 351 (1) of the Criminal Code
- Two counts of Breach of Recognizance contrary to section 145 (3) of the Criminal Code
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance contrary to section 4 (1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
He has been held at the Nipigon OPP detachment and will appear for a bail hearing before the Ontario Court of Justice, on October 27, 2017, to answer to the charges.
