NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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GRAVENHURST – On Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, just after 3 p.m. an officer with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Highway Safety Division (HSD) Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team conducted a traffic stop on Ferguson Road in Gravenhurst.
As the officer was approaching the car on foot, two passengers jumped out and ran off and the vehicle sped away, while doing so struck the officer. The officer was able to follow the vehicle down Campfire Point Road and located the vehicle with two passengers remaining, however the driver had also fled on foot. The OPP Canine Unit attended with the assistance of Emergency Response Team (ERT) and located two of the individuals.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, 43-year-old Joshua Thompson of Orillia was located and arrested in Ramara Township. He is facing the following list of charges along with several Highway Traffic Act offenses:
- Flight from Peace Officer CC 320.17
- Dangerous Operation CC 320.13
- Assault a Peace Officer with a Weapon CC 270.01(1)(a)
- Fail to Stop After Accident 320.16(1)
- Fail to Comply with Undertaking CC 145(4)(a) X 4
- Operate Motor Vehicle without Insurance CAIA 2(1)(a)
He will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on Aug. 7, 2020 for a bail hearing.
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