OPP roundup: Officers wrangle horses running wild on Highway 401

An occasional roundup of unusual events reported by the Ontario Provincial Police:

It was a bizarre traffic hazard on Highway 401.

Officers were called on June 17 at 5:45 a.m. for a report of two horses running wild on the westbound lanes of the highway near Glen Miller Road, north of Trenton.

Vehicles had to swerve to avoid hitting them.

Officers attended, and the highway had to be closed for a short period of time," OPP said.

A transport truck driver assisted in cutting off the horses, at which point the officers were able to secure them using rescue rope from the police vehicles. The horses were escorted to the 401 westbound ONroute (rest stop) where they were held until the owner attended and retrieved them at 8:45 a.m."

The horses were not injured.

A trip to forget

Two elderly fishermen survived six nights in the bush after getting lost in the wilds of northern Ontario.

Police got a report on June 21 of two overdue fishermen, 88 and 79, in the Hornepayne area, 400 kilometres north of Sault Ste. Marie.

The men had arrived from Indiana on June 9 and were expected home on June 18," OPP said. They were travelling in a white 2010 Sunseeker motorhome, with an Argo all-terrain vehicle in tow."

Police quickly found the motorhome near Little Chelsea Lake, 10 km south of Hornepayne. The ATV and men were not there.

On June 22 officers spotted a white piece of tarp the men fashioned into a flag, flying high in the air in a remote bush area near Little Chelsea Lake. Police heard voices and found the men in a small clearing.

The men had built a small shelter, started a fire and found a limited water source," OPP said. They ate canned meat they had brought with them."

They told police they had been following ATV trails but got lost when their GPS malfunctioned.

Despite living six nights in the bush, the men were in good health and did not need medical attention.

Dognapper nabbed

Police arrested a woman who stole a car with a dog inside.

Officers were called on June 4 to Line 7 in Oro-Medonte, near Barrie, after a car hit a hydro police and landed on its roof.

Police received information that the driver had fled into the bush attempting to flee the scene, and the vehicle was recently stolen from the City of Barrie along with the owner's dog," OPP said.

With the assistance of citizens in the area, the OPP Emergency Response Team and OPP canine, the individual was located, hiding in the attic of a residence a short distance away."

Police found the stolen dog in a nearby vehicle where it had been placed by the thief. The dog, which was not injured, was returned to its owner.

A Barrie woman, 43, was charged with theft, dangerous driving and breaking and entering.

Gordon Paul is a Waterloo Region-based reporter focusing on crime for The Record. Reach him via email: gpaul@therecord.com