Suspect vehicle in 14-year-old fatal hit-and-run case found behind ‘false wall,’ OPP say

Fourteen years after Lucas Shortreed was killed in a fatal hit and run, Ontario Provincial Police in Wellington County say they found the suspect vehicle hidden behind a fake wall.

On Oct. 10, 2008, Shortreed, who was 18 years old at the time, was walking along Wellington Road 17 near Alma when he was hit by a car and killed.

The vehicle fled the scene and investigators with Wellington County OPP were looking for someone driving a 1995-1997 white Dodge Neon sedan.

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OPP said that they followed up on hundreds of tips and searched hundreds of similar vehicles over the course of the 14-year investigation.

Last September, police announced that the investigation had led them to a home on Sideroad 21 in Mapleton Township where they recovered the suspect vehicle before they made a pair of arrests.

In a report prepared for a police services board meeting on Wednesday, Insp. Steve Thomas provided further information on vehicle recovery.

“The white Dodge Neon recovered at the scene with significant damage was located inside a disabled semi-trailer behind a false wall,” the detachment commander explained.

“This Neon has been confirmed by the Centre of Forensic Sciences as being the vehicle that struck and killed Lucas Shortreed.”

A 55-year-old man from Arthur was charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident causing bodily harm or death and obstructing justice while a 53-year-old woman was charged with accessory after the fact and obstructing justice.

*With files from Global News’ Ken Hashizume