Gun-toting Hamiltonian arrested on Simcoe trail

Police in Norfolk County are crediting a sharp-eyed cyclist with getting a gun off the streets.

According to acting Sgt. Ed Sanchuk of the OPP, a cyclist was pedalling along the Lynn Valley Trail near Victoria Street in Simcoe just after 2 p.m. on Thursday when they spotted someone on the trail with a firearm.

The cyclist called police and officers converged on the area, arresting the suspect without incident," Sanchuk said in a video on social media.

Officers from the OPP canine unit and emergency response team aided in the arrest.

Police charged a 38-year-old from Hamilton with possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and three counts of failing to comply with a probation order.

The accused was scheduled to appear in court in Simcoe on Friday afternoon.

Sanchuk thanked the cyclist for quickly contacting police.

As a direct result of their phone call, officers were able to get to that area and take this individual into custody," he said.

J.P. Antonacci's reporting on Haldimand and Norfolk is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. jpantonacci@thespec.com