ATV driver charged after fleeing police, hitting pylon in northern Ont.

A man faces 7 charges after OPP say he fled police in Kapuskasing on an ATV, driving through a fence and hitting a pylon. His licence was suspended for 30 days.

A 20-year-old from Kapuskasing is facing multiple criminal and traffic charges after Ontario Provincial Police responded to a report of a possible impaired driver on an all-terrain vehicle earlier this month.

The incident occurred around 9 p.m. on Oct. 3, when police were called to a parking lot on Government Road over the concerns.

OPP said that upon arrival, officers located the ATV and attempted to initiate a traffic stop – however, the driver fled the scene, “spinning tires and accelerating” onto Government Road.

“Before entering the roadway, the ATV struck a construction pylon and drove through fencing, entering traffic at a high rate of speed,” police said in a news release Wednesday.

Driver later found, no evidence of impairment

Officers located the driver a short time later.

“Although there was no evidence of impaired driving, the driver is facing several charges,” said OPP.

As a result of the incident, the ATV driver was charged with flight from a peace officer, stunt driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failing to drive in the same direction as traffic, wilfully interfering with a highway fixture, improperly entering a roadway and not having a number plate showing a permit number.

In addition to the charges, the man also received a 30-day driver’s licence suspension

Vehicle not impounded

OPP provided clarification on the status of the vehicle involved at the request of CTVNorthernOntario.ca.

“The ATV was not located along with the driver at the time of arrest,” said Acting OPP Sgt. Kyler Brouwer in an email to CTV News.

“Therefore, there was no impound enforced.”

The accused was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 17.