A 32-year-old woman is facing charges after a false report was filed with the Sarnia Police Service's Collision Reporting Centre (CRC).
On November 8, 2021, just before 6:30 p.m., police were called to a hit and run in the area of Ontario Street and Proctor Street.
When officers arrived, they discovered a hydro pole sheared off, with the base of the pole resting on a front lawn. The top was leaning out over Ontario Street and was held up by the overhead wires. Police said fallen wires, previously attached to the pole and a nearby house, also struck a parked car after being ripped off.
The investigating officer was able to determine the make, model and colour of the vehicle based on debris left at the scene.
Later that day, police said the father of the involved driver went to the CRC to report damage to his daughter’s vehicle. She allegedly told him it was involved in a parking lot hit and run while unattended.
Police said the investigating officer was able to match the vehicle damage left on scene to the vehicle in question. The driver eventually confessed to misleading her father with a false statement.
The driver is now charged under the Highway Traffic Act with making a false statement, leaving the roadway not in safety, failing to report a motor vehicle collision, failing to remain at the scene of a collision, and failing to report damage to a pole bordering the highway.
Police said making a false collision report to police or the CRC carries significant penalties including a fine of up to $5,000 (minimum $400), up to 30 days imprisonment (or both) and a potential six month driver’s licence suspension.
