Police charge 24-year-old in connection with sign that fell on Hwy. 401 in Whitby on Friday
Ontario Provincial Police have charged a 24-year-old Brampton man who they alleged hit a road sign on Hwy. 401 in Whitby.
In a tweet, OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said the man is facing three charges -- careless driving, failing to remain at the scene of an accident and having an overheight vehicle. He didn't provide the man's name.
OPP found what they believed to be the transport truck involved in the incident.
All westbound lanes of the 401 were closed during the morning commute, only reopening just before 11:30 a.m.
Schmidt doesn't say where the truck was found, beyond saying they were in a trucking yard.
In the tweet, he noted there was damage to the truck's box.
The police were appealing to the driver to contact investigating officers.
It's believed that a scrap-hauling transport truck had its full-length box raised while it was travelling westbound along Highway 401 through Durham Region on Friday (Jan. 6) morning when it collided with a sign and metal infrastructure near Brock Street that spans the live lanes of traffic, said Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, a spokesman for the provincial police force, in a Twitter video.
The impact caused the infrastructure to buckle and collapse," bringing a halt to traffic in the three 401 lanes, said Schmidt.
The truck was driving westbound with its box up," claimed Schmidt, noting that all lanes (were) blocked obviously" by the mangled sign infrastructure.
Following the collision, the driver stopped about 100 yards from the accident scene, got out of the truck and lowered the box, said Schmidt.
He added that a witness has identified the truck, which was last seen exiting Highway 401 at Brock Street in Whitby, and that police have a description of the driver.
We know who you are, we're coming for you right now, we're on our way," Schmidt said in a followup video posted to Twitter.
Update: Sign has been secured and clean-up has begun. The truck responsible for this collision has been identified. If you are the driver, please call @WhitbyOPP 905-668-3388. pic.twitter.com/sIrFzaRniy
- OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) January 6, 2023
Schmidt advised the driver it would be probably better" if they called the OPP and provided their whereabouts to determine a location for police and the alleged suspect to best meet up."
In the wake of the collision, police warned motorists just after 8 a.m. to expect heavy delays" along the westbound 401 through Durham as all traffic was forced off the highway and onto Whitby streets via Thickson Road.
A photo of the scene shows the metal sign infrastructure toppled across three lanes of the 401, with signs advising of Brock Street in Whitby and the 412, leading to the 407, ahead. In the photo, vehicles are stopped on the highway, with the two right lanes blocked and the far left lane mostly obstructed.
Update: Hope to have WB lanes of #Hwy401/Brock St Whitby reopened shortly. Ramp to Brock St will remain closed. pic.twitter.com/fQVqDHWeUZ
- OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) January 6, 2023
This will take some time to remedy, it will require some heavy equipment," said Sgt. Schmidt, adding that a crane will be needed.
Around 10:15 a.m., Schmidt said that crews were preparing to lift the wreckage off of the highway. Further videos posted by the OPP showed a large crane lifting the infrastructure from the roadway and placing it off to the side of the lanes.
The last video, posted just before 11:30 a.m., showed an officer waving through the waiting traffic -- mostly transport trucks, which couldn't manage to turn around on the 401.
Officers from the Whitby OPP detachment are investigating and Schmidt noted in his second video that a further update would be provided when charges are laid.
The driver of the truck is urged to call OPP at 905-668-3388.