Wellness check on truck driver turns into weapon, drug charges in eastern Ontario

A truck driver is facing charges after their company asked the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to conduct a wellness check on them at a service centre in Mallorytown Friday afternoon. (OPP/ handout)

A truck driver is facing charges after their company asked the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to conduct a wellness check on them at a service centre in Mallorytown Friday afternoon, police say.

Police say they received a call at around 12:45 p.m. reporting a driver had not been heard from since 8 a.m. that morning at the north service centre in Mallorytown. Police were asked to perform a wellness check and investigate.

When police arrived on the scene, they found the driver in the company's truck. Upon searching the truck, police found and seized suspected heroin and methamphetamine and an imitation firearm.

As a result, the 25-year-old driver from Caledon was arrested and charged with impaired care and control of a vehicle, possession of suspected illicit drugs and possession of an imitation firearm.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court in Brockville, Ont. on Oct. 4.

Police say this is the second incident involving an impaired truck driver at the same service centre in the last month.

On Aug. 29, a 26-year-old was charged after he was caught impaired and in possession of drugs when his heavy truck was spotted leaking at a rest area in Mallorytown.

That driver has been charged with impaired care and control of a vehicle and possession of suspected illicit drugs.