An e-bike driver suffered what city police are describing as "life-altering" injuries after a collision with a vehicle in an intersection in the west end of Barrie last night.
And as officers were conducting their on-scene investigation, police say an impaired driver attempted to drive through the closed investigation scene, which led to his subsequent arrest.
On Tuesday evening, officers responded to a serious vehicle collision at the intersection of Dunlop Street West and Miller Drive.
The investigation was then conducted by the traffic unit, with assistance from the forensic identification unit.
Police say investigators determined a 23-year-old man was operating his e-bike northbound on Tiffin Street when he failed to stop for a red light at Dunlop Street West.
As the e-bike operator entered the intersection, police say an eastbound vehicle that was turning left onto Miller Street from Dunlop Street West, under the direction of an advance green light, collided with the e-bike.
The e-bike operator sustained a “serious, life-altering injury” and was transported to local hospital. Once stabilized, he was transported to a Toronto trauma centre.
Police say the collision investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who may have been travelling in the area at the time of the crash and has dash-camera video is asked to contact the investigating officer at [email protected].
Then, at 9:35 p.m., while officers were investigating this collision and the intersection was closed to vehicular traffic, police say a vehicle drove over pylons, road flares and around marked police vehicles which had their emergency lighting activated, “dangerously entering the collision scene."
A 40-year-old Thornton man was arrested for impaired driving and transported to police headquarters on Fairview Road where the investigation continued.
He was charged with operation of a motor vehicle while impaired and was released from custody. He is scheduled to appear in Barrie court June 17.
“The Barrie Police Service is reminding motorists that when there is a serious motor vehicle collision, police may be required to close the road or an intersection to allow for the investigation to safely take place,” police stated in a news release this morning. “Pylons, barricades, road flares and marked police vehicles with emergency lighting activated are utilized to indicate this closure, and detouring around the scene may be required.
“Although inconvenient at times, a closure is required to allow for the gathering of evidence, collision scene measurements and in some cases, to allow for collision reconstructionists to utilize available technology that enables them to determine what took place," police say. "During these unexpected closures, the Barrie Police Service values the patience and understanding of motorists and reminds the public that our investigators work in a manner that results in a road reopening as soon as the investigation safely permits.”
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