NEWS RELEASE
TIMMINS POLICE SERVICE
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(TIMMINS) The Timmins Police Service has charged a local man with Impaired Driving related Criminal Code offences stemming from an incident that occurred during the evening hours of Tuesday, Sept. 22 in the downtown core area of Timmins.
A concerned citizen observed a small dark colored passenger vehicle being driven by a male party who had been drinking according to the anonymous caller.
The vehicle was observed leaving the ONTC bus terminal at a high rate of speed and continuing to travel eastbound on Algonquin Blvd.
Initial efforts by the responding Timmins Police officer to have the vehicle come to a stop were ignored by the driver.
The vehicle was eventually contained within the parking lot of a local business at the intersection of Hwy 655 and Algonquin Blvd.
Based on the observations regarding the driver physical demeanour and having located an open container of beer within the vehicle, an attempt to arrest the driver was undertaken.
The driver engaged in assaultive behaviour towards the officer before eventually being taken into custody for the purpose of completing Intoxilyzer breath testing procedures.
As a result of the incident, Joshua Metatawabin, 36, of Schumacher, has been charged with:
- Impaired operation of a motor vehicle contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
- Refuse to comply with demand (breath) contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
- Flight from peace officer contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
- Resist peace officer contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
- Fail to atop – red light contrary to the Highway Traffic Act
- Driver fail to surrender licence contrary to the Highway Traffic Act
- Fail to surrender permit for motor vehicle contrary to the Highway Traffic Act
- Fail to identify self contrary to the Highway Traffic Act
- Fail to surrender insurance card contrary to the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act
While these charges were being processed, the Timmins Police learned that the same accused person had been involved in a previous incident within the bus terminal on Spruce Street where the accused had assaulted a 32-year-old male person.
After the assault took place, Metatawabin fled in his vehicle and was eventually arrested.
Upon being made aware of the additional charge of assault being prepared against him, Metatawabin renewed his assaultive behavior towards the police by being generally disruptive in the cell block area and spitting on one of the police officers.
Additional charges of:
- Assault contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
- Assault peace officer contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada
The accused person remains in police custody awaiting a bail hearing slated for this morning at provincial court in Timmins to address the charges laid against him.
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