The Orillia OPP has arrested and charged a driver with impaired operation and a slew of other charges after an eventful night in Ramara Township.
On February 11, 2021, at 1:30 a.m., officers from the Orillia OPP were notified of a vehicle on fire in the ditch on Concession Road D-E. Upon arrival, officers found a fully engulfed pickup truck with no license plates. Ramara Fire Services attended to the vehicle, extinguished the fire and no one was located in or around the collision.
The driver eventually returned to the scene and officers were given cause to begin an impaired driving investigation. The driver was subsequently arrested and as the investigation progressed, a loader was located on its side in the ditch a short distance away. It was determined that the driver had stolen the loader from a nearby quarry, in order to attempt to pull his truck out of the ditch.
As a result, Jason Paugh, age 21, of Ramara, has been charged with:
- Operation while impaired – alcohol
- Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)
- Theft over $5000 of a motor vehicle
- Break, enter a place – with intent to commit an indictable offence
- Dangerous operation
- Operate motor vehicle without insurance
- Fail to remain and several additional Highway Traffic Act violations
The accused was released and is set to appear on March 30, 2021, at the Ontario Court of Justice, Orillia.
