A 31-year-old Bradford man faces several criminal charges following a devastating crash in south-end Barrie on Saturday, which police say involved both high speeds and alcohol as contributing factors.
The suspect has been charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle, refusing to provide a breath sample, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and possession of a prohibited weapon. The man's name was not released because the charges have not yet been sworn before the courts.
Officers responded to the scene at Hurst Drive and Golden Meadow Road shortly after 11:30 a.m., after the driver of the truck lost control, struck another car, a hydro pole, a fence and a structure in a nearby yard.
The driver of the truck, who police say was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was taken to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie with non-life-threatening injuries.
Two other people, who were in separate vehicles, were treated at the scene and did not require hospitalization. Police say one of the vehicles was hit by the suspect's pick-up truck and the other vehicle was struck by debris from the crash.
The high-speed crash left a path of destruction.
"There was obviously a significant debris field due to the magnitude of the impact," Barrie police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon told BarrieToday.
"A high-speed crash in a residential neighbourhood with light posts, fencing and stone pillars... there were a lot of solid objects it came into contact with before it came to a rest," he added.
When seeing that level of damage, Leon said the natural reaction is to "expect the worst."
Given the time of day and the nicer weather on Saturday, Leon said there was the potential for more people to be walking in the area when the incident happened, including small children.
Leon also said it was "alarming" that someone could be driving impaired and at a high rate of speed in a residential neighbourhood, particularly at that time of day.
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