Three motorists charged with dangerous operation on Highway 17 this month

An Ontario Provincial Police officer is seen monitoring motorists in this undated photo. (File photo/Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police)

Ontario Provincial Police have charged three drivers with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle following a series of high-risk passing maneuvers on Highway 17 near Dryden over the past month.

The charges stem from separate incidents where drivers allegedly attempted unsafe passes on hill crests or around blind corners, forcing oncoming traffic to take evasive action to avoid collisions, police said in a news release Sunday.

Two of the accused – a 20-year-old man from Winnipeg and a 57-year-old man from Edmonton – were operating commercial vehicles at the time. The third, a 26-year-old man also from Winnipeg, was driving a passenger vehicle.

All three were arrested, charged under the Criminal Code, and released with upcoming court dates.

The OPP emphasized that road safety is a shared responsibility, urging drivers to avoid risky behaviour and obey traffic laws.

“If you witness dangerous driving, call 911 immediately to report the incident,” OPP said.

“Drive safe,” added OPP Const. Chris Chevrier in a related social media post.