Month: June 2017

Ontario police officers have been cracking down on alleged gang activity in the Greater Toronto Area. Concerned with drug trafficking and other criminal activities, police officers have arrested 11 residents of York Region. These men were caught up in a sting in which police across Ontario laid 485 charges on 90 men and women. The men are alleged to be part of a widespread criminal organization which centred around drug trafficking. Six of them hail from Richmond Hill, while the others are from Thornhill, Vaughan, and Markham. If found guilty, they could face serious penalties. Police note that along with drug trafficking,…

Sexual assault trials are high-stakes affairs for those on both sides of the allegation. These cases are notoriously complex, especially when substance use is involved. This week, the defence for Toronto police officers accused of sexual assault produced video evidence that raised questions for jurors and the general public alike. During closing arguments, the defence showed a video of an intoxicated man being led into a hotel by his friend. The man, who is one of the accused in the case, was barely able to stand. Further video evidence showed the alleged victim leaving the hotel upright with no apparent issues. The…

A truck driver was taken into custody following an incident near Blind River, according to provincial authorities. Ontario Provincial Police arrested the 56-year-old man on suspicion of impaired driving on the night of June 12. The driver was to appear for his first court appearance in Blind River on July 13. According to the police report, the Blind River detachment of the OPP received reports of a tractor trailer driving erratically westbound on Highway 17. Police pulled the truck over and made the determination that the man was intoxicated after speaking with him. A search of the vehicle apparently revealed an open liquor…

A man is in custody after an accident that saw his vehicle end up in a Vaughan cemetery, according to York Regional Police. Ontario authorities arrested the man on suspicion of impaired driving after the early June collision. A court date was not reported for his case. The arrest record states that police responded to reports of a single-vehicle crash in Vaughan. Upon arrival they found a single car had left the road near Beechwood Cemetery and struck a tree. Four people in the car suffered injuries, though the extent of those injuries has not been made public at this time. They were…

To work in a profession that requires one to be in a position of trust can be both a blessing and a curse. The public generally holds such people in high regard; doctors, police officers, teachers and others have respect in their communities. They are also held to a higher standard than most other professionals. When allegations of misconduct circulate, public reaction can be swift and strong, even before a conviction. An Ontario teacher facing charges of sexual assault likely knows all this first hand. Peel Regional Police arrested a Brampton high school teacher on June 6. The teacher is accused of having…

Sometimes what begins as simply a poor decision can spiral out of control and turn into something far worse. Recently, a very peculiar accident in the west end of Toronto turned a simple case of alleged impaired driving into a tragedy. The driver now faces several charges, including one for manslaughter. The accident happened June 7, just before 5 a.m. An SUV heading north on Black Creek Drive apparently made a left turn onto Eglinton Avenue. The vehicle then began travelling west, but the driver had erroneously entered the eastbound lanes. Shortly after making the turn, the driver of the SUV struck…

If one has never been through it before, being arrested for suspected drug possession can be a frightening experience. A suspect's world is turned upside down in a matter of minutes. It may be unclear what one's rights are or what should be done next. Perhaps the young man taken into custody by police in Toronto recently had similar thoughts. What he knows is that he now faces potentially serious penalties for an array of drug charges. On June 4, Toronto Police arrested a 21-year-old man who was allegedly in possession of a sizable quantity of cocaine powder and crack.…

A lapse in judgment can happen to anyone, and likely has happened to nearly everyone at some point. When that lapse allegedly results in a traffic accident, and people are hurt, a person may find him or herself in serious trouble with the law. A Toronto driver suspected of impaired driving is in that situation now, a situation that may be familiar to others. The accident happened on June 3, at around 2 a.m. in the west end of the city. A motorist struck two pedestrians near the intersection of Eglinton Avenue and Dufferin Street, sending both individuals to hospital. One of…

The dynamic of a taxi is a unique one: one driver transporting perhaps only one passenger, a complete stranger, to another destination in the driver's car. It is impossible for anyone other than the occupants of the vehicle to know exactly what transpires through the duration of the trip. An accusation of criminal wrongdoing may be merely a case of "he said, she said" and yet can cause a major legal problem for the accused individual. A Toronto Uber driver is wrestling with that very problem after his arrest for sexual assault. The alleged incident reportedly occurred on Jan. 27. A 15-year-old…

July 1, 2018 cannot come fast enough for cannabis industry workers in Ontario. That's the projected date for the legalization of marijuana in this country. Until that day comes, however, possession and distribution of marijuana remains illegal, except for licensed businesses and individuals. There is a certain amount of legal grey area where pot is concerned, but that has not stopped the continual arrests and pressing of criminal charges against dispensary owners and staff. On May 23, Toronto Police officers executed a warrant at a downtown Toronto business on Camden Street. During the raid, officers allegedly seized 2 kilograms of marijuana, approximately 60…