Ontario Provincial Police say a modified e-bike in conjunction with some questionable decisions resulted in criminal charges for a man from New Tecumseth. On Saturday evening, Nottawasaga OPP officers observed a man on an e-bike riding down the Yonge Street sidewalk in Alliston, but it was what he did next that resulted in officers taking action. Police claim the man took his bike onto the roadway, crossed multiple lanes of traffic and entered a commercial plaza. Officers followed him into the plaza and stopped him. According to OPP, an investigation led officers to discover the e-bike’s pedals had been removed and was operating exclusively on the power of its electric motor. Under the Highway Traffic Act, that means the e-bike met the qualifications of a motor vehicle. Police say the man operating the bike was then unable to provide a driver’s licence, a vehicle permit, proof of insurance and went on to verbally identify himself with a false name. When asked again, the driver refused to identify himself altogether and was placed under arrest. A 47-year-old New Tecumseth man is now facing a number of charges including obstruction of a police officer, five counts of operation while prohibited under the Criminal Code and two counts of failure to comply with a release order. The man also faces charges for operating a motor vehicle without a licence, a permit, plates or a vehicle identification number. He is due back in court later this year and his vehicle was impounded for 45 days.
