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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-08-18, Page 1010 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, August 18, 2004 A celebration banquet was held at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Exeter Aug. 14 to bid farewell to Pastor Kevin Rutledge, who is beginning a new ministry at London's West Park Baptist Church after serving the local community for the past 18 years. Pastor Rutledge is shown with his wife Gerda and their children Jillian, Ryan and Christi. (photo/Mary Simmons) Huron OPP investigates 150 area deer collisions HURON — Huron OPP continues to experience large numbers of deer col- lisions each year in the county. Last year Huron OPP officers investigates 348 deer collisions or about one-quarter of the crashes that occurred in 2003. Over the last four years officers have investigated more than 1,300 crashes involving deer some of those being two or more deer being struck at the same time. Several crashes resulted in people inside the vehi- cles being injured and in one case is believed to have caused a woman's death. This year officers have already investigated 150 deer collisions, which is slightly down from last year's numbers. According to police, there has been 37 colli- sions in Ashfield- Colborne-Wawanosh, 25 in Central Huron, 23 in Huron East, 18 in Bluewater, 16 in Morris- Turnberry, 14 hi Howick, nine in North Huron, six in South Huron and two in Goderich. Huron OPP is warning drivers to take caution on certain roads in the coun- ty where a lot of collisions were reported. The worst was Bluewater Highway where there were 22 acci- dents, nine occurred on each Lucknow Line and Zurich-Hensall Road, eight on Highway 8 with 8, seven on Highway 4, seven on Amberley Road, seven on Brussels Line and four each on Mill Road and Blyth Road for a total of 77 of the 150 so far this year. The worst times for crashes this year have been the early morning hours with others happen- ing during the evening hours and even a few in broad daylight. Drivers must keep scan- ning the roadways and ditches, remembering deer can and will travel in groups so if you see one slow down because others maybe following. During the times when light is poor look for red eyes warning of an animal near the roadway. Speed can be a major factor in avoiding crashes. Last year officers saw deer near the road in their travels and in some cases came across speed- ers doing more than twice the speed limit. A crash at that speed will do tremen- dous damage to the car, may injure occupants or even cause their death. Drive the speed limit. Drivers should also be aware of problem areas to watch out for, such as any spots where bush comes close to the road or low areas like rivers, streams, creeks with culverts and swampy areas. Man arrested for assaulting police LUCAN — Middlesex OPP officers were called to Tim Horton's in Lucan Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. According to police, a man was acting suspi- ciously and making cus- tomers uncomfortable with his odd behaviour. A Middlesex OPP officer located the man at Clarke's Food Mart. As the officer approached him, the man became verbally abusive and pushed the officer, who arrested him. Two nearby citizens assisted with the arrest. The 50 -year-old North Middlesex man was charged with assaulting a police officer. Participants in the Exeter Library's summer reading program were treated to a barbecue at Victoria Park by the Exeter Lioness Club Aug. 13. (photo/Mary Simmons) ABCA gets funding to complete groundwater study AUSABLE BAYFIELD — The Ontario government is acting to safeguard the province's water resources by providing funding that will allow the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) to complete an important groundwater study. "The provincial government is working with partners such as the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority to provide Ontarians with safe, clean water," Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci announced. "I am delighted that this project will help protect health, prosperity and peace of mind for residents in this area." With $200,000 from the province and in co-operation with the Ontario Geological Survey (OGS), the conser- vation authority will continue its study on sinkholes, which are key to protecting wells, streams and wet- lands. Sinkholes occur in bedrock as a connected series of underground cracks or tunnels. They allow the rapid flow of water through the rock and can also allow surface contami- nants to spread quickly through underground water sources. "When completed next year, this study will give us a more thorough understanding of sinkhole locations, and help improve our information base," said ABCA chairperson Teresa Ondrejicka. The project is one of several OGS studies that will provide information to help conservation authorities identify, protect and manage Ontario's groundwater resources well into the future. Huron OPP lay charges for impaired driving HURON — Huron OPP started off the weekend with an impaired driver Aug. 13 at 11:30 a.m. An officer using radar on Airport Line in South Huron picked up a blue 1994 Pontiac Sunbird travelling 35 kilometres above the speed limit. The officer went to pull the vehicle over, but the driver attempted to evade the officer before pulling into a private residence and stopping. The driver showed signs of impairment, was arrested for impaired dri- ving and taken for a breath test. The tests indicated he was just below being three times the legal limit. The 33 -year-old London man has been charged with impaired driving, driving a motor vehicle with over 80 mgs, flight from police and a speed- ing infraction under the Highway Traffic Act. He will attend court in Exeter Oct. 28. The third incident occurred Aug. 14 at approximately 12:30 a.m. when a blue 2003 Toyota was stopped in a RIDE program on the Main Street of Exeter. The driver was found with alcohol on his breath and given the roadside test, which he failed. The man was arrested and taken for breath tests finding he had more than 2 1/2 times the legal limit. The 28 -year-old South Huron man has been charged with driving a motor vehicle with over 80 mgs and will attend court in Exeter Oct. 28. That night at 2:30 a.m. another officer stopped a blue Volkswagen Jetta on Bayfield River Road in Central Huron. The driver, a 25 -year- old male from Ashfield- Colborne-Wawanosh, was found with alcohol on his breath, was given an alcotest and blew a warn. The man had his dri- ver's licence suspended for 12 hours. That afternoon at 4:45 p.m. an officer stopped a red 1995 Dodge Dakota on Brussels Line in Morris-Turnberry. The driver a 23 -year-old from the Stratford area blew a warn on the alcotest resulting in a 12 hour licence suspension. The last driver to be issued a 12 -hour licence suspension over the weekend was stopped on Main Street in Exeter at 3:15 a.m. Aug. 15. The 23 -year-old driver of a 1991 Pontiac Sunfire blew a warn on the road- side device resulting in the suspension and a Highway Traffic Act offence.