Kitchener impaired driver broke through road closure and narrowly avoided crash before trying to flee: Police

Kitchener driver dead after 401 crash A 30-year-old died after an overnight crash on Hwy 401 in Cambridge. CTV’s Emma Ens has the details.

A Kitchener, Ont. driver has been arrested after police say he broke through a road closure barricade on Highway 401 and narrowly avoided causing another collision.

Police closed Highway 401 westbound near Cambridge, Ont. following a fatal crash around 8 p.m. Thursday.

According to a video posted by OPP on Friday, Const. Kerry Schmidt said during the investigation, a vehicle drove through the closure around 1 a.m., speeding towards the officers and first responders.

“One of the MTO road maintenance crews observed what was happening, got on the radio and radioed up ahead to a patrol unit at the crash scene,” said Schmidt. “They got wind of this vehicle approaching them. They started blasting their airhorns alerting the officers and tow truck drivers that were on scene at the location.”

According to the video, the driver of the vehicle came to a screeching halt, narrowly avoiding a collision with the tow truck that was dealing with one of the broken down vehicles at the scene.

Despite attempting to flee the area, the driver was stopped and arrested for impaired and dangerous driving.

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

The 35-year-old man from Kitchener was served with an automatic 90-day license suspension and a 7-day vehicle impound.

His court date is set for June, when he is to answer to the charges.

Schmidt finished the video by issuing a safety reminder to motorists.

“Just another reminder of the dangers that first responders put themselves in when they’re dealing with situations on the highway,” he said. “When you see a road closure, follow the directions of the closures or of the officers that are on scene. Again, this could have been dangerous and deadly.”