Driver intentionally crashes SUV into car in Northern Ontario: OPP

Article content

One person is under arrest in Northern Ontario after dramatic video appears to show a driver ramming an SUV into a car intentionally in a possible case of road rage.

The Ontario Provincial Police’s North East Region detachment said the incident occurred on Hwys. 11 and 65 in the Temiskaming Shores area shortly after 1 p.m. Monday.

“After the collision, OPP made several attempts to stop the vehicle which resulted in the deployment of a spike belt,” police said in a social media update Tuesday morning. “The suspect vehicle was stopped and the driver was arrested.”

Cops said while there were no injuries reported the victim was transported to a local hospital as a precaution.

Dash cam footage of the alarming incident was uploaded to Facebook on Monday night by the victim, who also shared a video of the damage to his Honda Accord.

“I’ve never seen this man before this, and have no reason to know why someone would want to try to harm me,” James Turner wrote.

Turner explained that the driver of a white Toyota RAV4 SUV nearly caused a head-on collision with another car ahead of him. He flicked his high beams on and off at the driver, which may have triggered the incident, he added.

In the video, the SUV stops on the shoulder of the highway and Turner pulls over as well. The SUV moves forward a short distance before the driver reverses on the shoulder.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

Turner starts to back up on the shoulder as well to avoid the driver and calls police.

“Somebody’s trying to back up into me on the highway,” Turner tells a 911 dispatcher. “I’m driving backwards on the shoulder.”

The video then shows the driver turning the SUV around and ramming Turner’s car head on and onto a bridge.

Turner manages to drive away and says he is heading to the OPP detachment while being chased by the driver, who then rams the Honda from behind, which spins the car around, and smashes into the driver-side door.

“I had people tell me he hit cops, and he may have thought I was an undercover officer,” Turner wrote. “I’m just glad it seems no one else got hurt. I got excellent care from EMS, police, and the lovely staff at Temiskaming Emerge who took excellent care of me.”

OPP said they are seeking assistance from anyone who has video or dash cam footage of the collisions and erratic driving by the driver.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Temiskaming OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and reference occurrence E241708623, anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.