Teen driver charged after trying to evade police

CENTRE WELLINGTON – A Mapleton teen faces multiple driving charges after trying to evade police here last weekend.

Wellington County OPP officials say an officer who was monitoring traffic on Church Street in Elora on March 12 saw the driver of a blue pickup truck commit an alleged “driving infraction” at about 8:30pm.

“The officer attempted to perform a traffic stop but the driver failed stop for police,” states an OPP press release.

“The driver was observed travelling away from police at a speed well above the posted 40km/hr speed limit…Officers again tried to perform a traffic stop of the driver on Beatty Line (in) Centre Wellington, and again the driver failed to stop for police.”

Police say the driver “was observed on Wellington Road 8, Mapleton, travelling well above the posted 80km/hr speed limit” and was “finally stopped on Wellington Road 18” in Centre Wellington.

A 16-year-old driver from Mapleton was charged with dangerous driving, operating an unsafe vehicle, being a G1 driver unaccompanied by a qualified driver, being  G1 driver with a front-seat passenger, two counts of flight from police and two counts of performing a stunt (excessive speed).

The driver’s licence and the vehicle were seized for seven days and the accused is to appear in Guelph court at a later date. 

Anyone with information about this incident can contact the Wellington County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip at www.csgw.tips.