Man ignores Hwy 401 closure, drives into site of fatal Cambridge collision probe: OPP

Cambridge OPP were in the middle of investigating a fatal collision on Highway 401 on Thursday night when they were forced to arrest a man who allegedly ignored road closure signs and almost drove into them, according to Staff Sgt. Kerry Schmidt.

In a video posted to Twitter on Friday morning, he said that emergency personnel were dealing with the crash on Highway 401 between Townline Road and the service centre at around 1 a.m. when the incident occurred.

“Around one in the morning while the highway was shut down by the MTO with blocker trucks and patrol vehicles,” he explained, “a vehicle broke through the closure at Highway 401 and Highway 6 north, speeding down the 401 towards the officers and the first responders.”

Schmidt credited an MTO worker with quick action that prevent the scene from getting worse.

“One of the MTO road maintenance crews observed what was happening and got on the radio and radioed up ahead to a patrol unit up at the crash scene,” he explained.

“They got wind of this vehicle approaching them. They started blasting their air horns, alerting the officers and the tow truck drivers that were on scene at that location.”

Schmidt said the vehicle came to a screeching halt just before it slammed into the side of a tow truck that was working to remove one of the vehicles involved in the collision.

“He tried to leave a second time, at which point he was stopped,” the officer said.

“He is now facing charges of dangerous driving, impaired excess blood alcohol, as well as having cannabis readily available inside the vehicle.”

Schmidt pointed out that the lives of emergency personnel were at risk as a result of the incident and asked that drivers follow the road closed signs when they are in place on the highway.

“When you see a road closure, follow the directions of the closures or of the officers that are on scene,” he explained.

“Again, this could have been dangerous and deadly. Please help us and get home at the end of our shifts.”