KENORA – If you are going to have an accident, perhaps the worst vehicle to hit would be a police cruiser. The Kenora Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police is investigating a motor vehicle collision involving a police cruiser.
On Tuesday, December 12, 2017, shortly after 6:00 pm, a member of the Kenora OPP was conducting an investigation on an abandoned motor vehicle on the side of Highway 17 near the Manitoba border. While stopped on the roadside facing east, with full lights activated on the fully marked police car, an eastbound pick-up truck failed to move over and side-swiped the parked police car, with the officer seated inside. Neither the officer nor the driver of the pick-up truck was injured and both vehicles sustained minor damages.
As a result of this investigation, a 72-year-old Kenora man has been charged with Fail to Move Into Another Lane for Emergency Vehicle or Tow Truck contrary to section 159(3) of the Highway Traffic Act. He has been issued a Provincial Offences Notice for the charge.
The OPP would like to take the opportunity to remind motorists that the Highway Traffic Act requires all drivers to slow down and proceed with caution when approaching an emergency vehicle parked on the side of the highway with its lights activated. If the highway has more than one lane, the law requires the driver to move offer and leave one lane between their vehicle and the parked emergency vehicle when it can be done safely. Failure to do so can result in fines from $400 to $2000 and three demerit points for a first offence.
