A trucker from Brampton has been charged after a big rig sideswiped a police cruiser on the side of Hwy. 401, sending a Middlesex OPP officer to hospital.
Police say a transport truck was heading east between Highbury Ave. and Veterans Memorial Pkwy. when it hit the driver's side of a cruiser parked on the shoulder of the highway around 4pm on Saturday. The crash injured an officer, who was inside the vehicle, and caused significant damage to the cruiser.
The officer had pulled over an unlicensed driver moments before the collision and was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The transport truck failed to move over for the cruiser, according to police.
"We are very fortunate that our officer wasn't more seriously injured or worse, killed in this preventable crash. Moving over for emergency workers is not an option, it is the law," said Detachment Commander Inspector Cristilli.
A 37-year-old Brampton man is charged with careless operation of a motor vehicle and failing to move over for a stopped emergency vehicle.
By law, drivers are required to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles or tow trucks that are stopped with their emergency lights on. The fine for failing to do so ranges from $400 to $2,000 and three demerit points. Repeat offenders face increased fines of $1,000 to $4,000, driver's licence suspension, and possible jail time up to six months.
