WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — An Ottawa man and his female counterpart were charged following a theft of gas in Cobden and a single-vehicle accident on Foresters Falls Road.
Renfrew OPP report that on Friday, June 22 shortly after 5 p.m., police were dispatched to a theft of gas from 17 West gas station in Cobden.
A male driving a black 4-door car pumped gas into the car and left without paying. He struck a witness in the parking lot as he was attempting to flee.
As police were on their way to investigate, they were notified of a serious single motor vehicle collision nearby, on Foresters Falls Road. The investigation revealed it was the same vehicle involved in the theft of gas.
The male driver was airlifted to hospital, while the female passenger was transported to hospital by paramedics with minor injuries. Doctors determined the male was not seriously injured and he was subsequently arrested for impaired driving, dangerous driving and theft under $5,000.
Following breath tests at the hospital, Michael Koch, aged 22 of Ottawa, was charged with driving over 80mgs, impaired driving, dangerous driving and theft under $5,000. He was released on a promise to appear in court in Renfrew on Wednesday, July 18.
The passenger in the vehicle was arrested and charged with theft under $5,000. Hayley MacNeil-MacCrimmon was released on a promise to appear in court in Renfrew on the same date.
Foresters Falls Road was closed for several hours while police investigated the collision.
PC Patrick O’Connor led the investigation with assistance from Technical Collision Investigators (TCI) and officers from the Ottawa OPP and Ottawa Police Service.
