HURON EAST – Police and firefighters were on the scene of a two-vehicle crash after a woman lost control while slowing for a snowplow on Brussels Line, just north of Brussels this morning.

Preliminary investigation has revealed the driver a Ford Escape was southbound on Brussels Line when she encountered a snowplow also travelling southbound.  The driver attempted to slow down for the plow however she lost control and entered the oncoming lane and collided with a northbound Volkswagen Jetta. The collision took place on Brussels Line 400 meters north of Brandon Road.

The driver of the Volkswagen, Lois Cafik, 83, from Wroxeter was transported to Wingham and District Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the Ford Escape, Rebecca De Kleer, 28, also from Wroxeter was transported to Seaforth Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  Two children in her vehicle, ages 4 and 2 were uninjured.

The roadway is now open for travel.

 CENTRAL HURON - Huron County OPP officers have charged three people stemming from a traffic stop on March 17, 2013.  At 9:19 p.m. a green Chevrolet Cobalt entered a RIDE checkpoint set up at the intersection of Telephone Road and Bayfield Road.

Upon speaking with the occupants of the vehicle, officers determined a male passenger was failing to abide by a condition of his court release.  Officers arrested the male for failing to comply and a search incident to arrest led to the discovery of illegal drugs inside the vehicle.  A female passenger and a female driver were also arrested for possession of drugs for the purposes of trafficking.

As a result, a man, 38, from Central Huron has been charged with two counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking. He remains in custody.

The driver, 28, from Goderich, has been charged with two counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking.  She was released from custody and has a first appearance court date scheduled for April 29, 2013 at the Ontario Court of Justice – Goderich.

Also charged was a woman, 24, from Goderich.  She has been charged with two counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking.  She was released from custody and has a court date scheduled for March 25, 2013 at the Ontario Court of Justice - Goderich.

DRIVER FACING OVER 80 CHARGE

HOWICK – On March 19, 2013 at 9:12 p.m., an officer with the OPP Mount Forest Traffic Management Unit stopped a white Jeep on Harriston Road at Toll Gate Line.

Upon speaking with the female driver, the officer noted the driver had been drinking alcohol.  A roadside test was completed and the driver registered a fail.  The driver was arrested and transported to the Palmerston OPP detachment where she provided two samples of her breath.  Both samples were over the legal limit.

The woman, 41, from Howick has been charged with driving a motor vehicle with over 80 mg of alcohol and driving a motor vehicle with liquor readily available. A court date is scheduled for April 18, 2013 at the Ontario Court of Justice - Wingham.  Her driver’s licence has been suspended for an automatic 90 days.

HURON EAST – The body of Doris Chambers, 90, was found near Vanastra last evening, police have confirmed.

The body was found off Front Street, near the Bayfield River, just north of Vanastra, shortly after 7 p.m., according to a press release from Huron County OPP.

A post-mortem examination has been scheduled to be completed today at London Health Sciences Centre. Foul play is not suspected.

A concerned friend reported the woman missing from her residence in Vanastra at about 4:30 p.m. yesterday.

Officers from the Huron County OPP detachment, West Region Emergency Response Team (ERT) and West Region Canine Unit searched for the woman.

Front Road between Huron Road (Highway 8) and 5^th Avenue in Vanastra has reopened today.  Huron County OPP continues to investigate.

BLUEWATER - Huron OPP officers are investigating a break, enter and theft to an unoccupied residence located on York Crescent in Hensall.

On March 14, 2013 at approximately 9 p.m., officers responded to the premise after receiving Bell telephone information of unknown trouble with the phone line.  Upon arrival, officers located a smashed out basement window.  Further investigation revealed the main water line from the water heater had also been damaged causing extensive flooding throughout the basement.  Officers then detected a carbon monoxide leak within the residence.

Hensall Fire Department personnel attended the scene to safely shut off the leak and ventilate the residence. Two OPP members were treated and released from South Huron Hospital as a precaution for carbon monoxide exposure.

Approximately $2,500 in property was stolen and the flooding caused an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 in damage to the residence.  Among the stolen items include:  15 bottles of alcohol, 2 cartons of Player’s Light cigarettes, 8 gift baskets containing alcohol and a men’s gold necklace.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

BBQ STOLEN FROM BACKYARD

SOUTH HURON - Huron OPP officers are investigating the theft of a stainless steel barbecue and attached cover stolen from the backyard of a Sanders Street West residence.  This theft took place sometime between March 11 and March 15, 2013.

The value of the BBQ is estimated at $500.  The owner was unable to provide further details on the BBQ.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

GENERATORS STOLEN FROM GARAGE

GODERICH - Huron OPP officers are investigating a break, enter and theft that occurred at a detached garage located at St. David Street.  Suspects gained entry by prying open the man door.  Once inside, they stole an older model red 1,000-watt Honda gas powered generator and heavier duty red 6,500-watt Honda gas generator.  The generators are valued at $550.

This crime took place sometime between March 3, 2013 and March 15, 2013.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

CHEVY PICKUP STOLEN

BLUEWATER - Huron County OPP officers were dispatched to a farm property located on Bannockburn Line after the property owner discovered a burnt out vehicle.  Just after 2:30 p.m. on March 17, 2013 officers arrived and located the burnt out pickup truck approximately 150 feet off the roadway.

Officers confirmed the Chevrolet S10 pickup had been stolen earlier in the week from a residence located on Winnipeg Road in Vanastra.  The fire caused extensive damage to the vehicle.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

PUDDLE JUMPER GOES FOR A SWIM

HURON EAST - A man, 46, went for an unexpected swim in the chilly Maitland River this past Saturday.

Shortly after 5 p.m. on March 16, 2013 Huron County OPP officers and Huron County paramedics were dispatched to attend the banks of the Maitland River located in Brussels at McCutcheon Drive.  Police learned a snowmobiler attempted to catch up with his fellow snowmobile friends by taking a dangerous shortcut across the Maitland River.  The driver attempted to “puddle jump” a section of open water about 50 metres wide.  His 2011 Yamaha RX1 snowmobile made it half way across the water when it began to take on water and sank.  The driver managed to swim back to shore; he was not injured.  The snow machine was to be recovered today.

The Elora man was charged with careless driving.

HURON COUNTY – Investigations by the drug enforcement unit have resulted in eight people charged with 71 criminal and drug related charges since December.

The investigations by the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau Drug Enforcement Section (DES) came after an increase in the abuse of prescription drugs within Huron County. The total charges are the result of a series of independent investigations.

Charges are related to double doctoring, using forged documents and impersonation in order to obtain OxyContin of various strengths, benzodiazepines, and methylphenidates.

Communities within Huron County assisted police in response to this emerging trend, Huron County OPP officials say.  Partnerships were formed between the OPP, local pharmacies, physicians, and the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

Four of the accused live in Huron County, two in Oxford County and one each in Stratford and London.  The persons charged appear in court in their jurisdiction to answer to the charges.

Anyone with information related to prescription fraud is asked to contact the Huron County OPP Detachment at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

ASHFIELD-COLBORNE-WAWANOSH – A man from Ashfield-Colborne Wawanosh faces four charges after police were called to a domestic dispute.

The man. 44, was charged after Huron County OPP responded to a 9-1-1 call for assistance just after 1:30 p.m. yesterday.

A 30-year-old woman suffered minor injuries after being threatened and assaulted by her common-law partner, police say.

The man has been charged with two counts of assault, one count of uttering threats and one count of forcible confinement.  He remains in custody with a court date scheduled for March 18, 2013 at Ontario Court of Justice - Goderich.

HURON COUNTY – A Central Huron woman lost $32,000 in a recent on-line dating scam, says Huron County OPP.

Officers are investigating what’s referred to as the romance or dating scam, after a woman made a report to police yesterday.

The woman reported she met a man through an online dating website, communicating with him online for five months and starting to develop feelings for him.  During this online relationship, the scammer sent her fake photos.  After gaining her trust, he then sent her further emails requesting she send him money because he was having custom difficulties while traveling overseas in Russia and China.  Through multiple transactions, the victim wired money to the fraudster.

The total value of money sent to the fraudster was $32,000.

The romance and dating scam is becoming increasingly more common.

Single or recently separated people are among the growing number of vulnerable population to be victimized through fraudulent means. This scam usually occurs through email, social media and singles dating websites.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) reports in 2012 there were 1,460 complaints of romance fraud, with 1,047 victims identified, resulting in losses exceeding $14.8 million.

Here are some tips to avoid being a victim of the romance and dating scam.

• Check website addresses carefully.  Scammers often set up fake websites with very similar addresses to legitimate dating websites.  Make sure you only use legitimate and reputable dating websites.
• Never send money or give credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know and trust.  A request to send money to a foreign country to a person you have never personally met should be a red flag.
• Be careful giving out personal information in an email or when you are chatting online.  Use the computer to your advantage.  Educate yourself, ask questions, and be skeptical.  Ask yourself, does this sound legitimate.  Is it normal for someone to declare their love in only a few letters or emails?

For information, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre.ca or 1-888-495-8501.  Alternatively, contact the Huron OPP Detachment at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-1074.

HURON COUNTY - OPP are warning people not to trust phone calls that claim to be able to negotiate lower interest rates on credit cards or loans, after complaints from two South Huron residents.

In two separate incidents, phone calls were received this past week from scammers offering to lower the interest rates on their credit cards.

Members from the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch report this type of service scam is becoming more prominent.  Consumers who get these interest rate reduction offers sometimes through automatically dialled robo-calls should listen to them with extreme skepticism because many are scams, police say.

What the callers really want is the processing fee, which is usually paid by credit card.

Investigators have found that people who pay for these services don’t get the interest rate reductions promised, don’t save the amounts promised, don’t pay off their credit card any quicker and ultimately struggle to get refunds.

If you suspect you or someone you know has experienced an interest rate reduction scam or has been the victim of a scam contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.

You can contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

VALVE STEM CUT

HURON EAST – Early this morning, Huron OPP officers received information about a mischief to property occurrence.  The owner of a Mazda pickup truck reported he had his truck and trailer parked at the Seaforth Community Centre located on Duke Street while he went out for a half-hour snowmobile ride.

He left for his ride around 11:30 p.m. last night and returned a half hour later to find a tire on his truck flattened and one of the valve stems cut.  Officers made extensive patrols of the area however were unable to locate any possible suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

GODERICH- Two Goderich men face criminal charges following a traffic stop in that town today.

Just after 10 a.m., officers stopped a brown Pontiac Bonneville that was travelling on Walnut Street.  Upon stopping the vehicle and speaking with the two occupants, officers were able to confirm the driver was a suspended driver.

Further investigation revealed both the driver and passenger to be in possession of a small quantity of illegal drugs that were located inside the vehicle.

In addition, officers determined the driver had falsely identified himself to police when he was stopped on February 18, 2013 in the Town of Goderich.  Officers were able to confirm the name given at that time was bogus.

As a result, the driver, 26, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, obstructing a peace officer, and two counts of driving while suspended. He has a court date scheduled for the Ontario Court of Justice - Goderich on April 22, 2013.

The passenger, 24, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, breach of probation and failure to comply with recognizance.  He has a court date scheduled for the Ontario Court of Justice - Goderich on April 22, 2013.

HURON COUNTY - Huron OPP officers have responded to 10 motor vehicle collisions in the past two days.

Two of the collisions resulted in minor injuries to the occupants and the rest of the collisions resulted in property damage. 

Six of the crashes involved a motor vehicle leaving the roadway into the ditch.  Two noteworthy collisions were: a collision on Division Line in Huron East involving a Dodge Dakota leaving the roadway and striking a tree; and a collision on Goshen Line involving a Chevrolet Silverado that left the roadway and struck a hydro pole.

Huron County OPP encourages motorists to respond to adverse and rapidly changing road conditions by reducing speed and leaving extra space to adjust for reduced braking ability on slippery ice and snow covered roadways.

Drivers need to be prepared for the challenge of winter driving.

SUSPENDED DRIVER CHARGED

ASHFIELD-COLBORNE-WAWANOSH - On Feb. 26, 2013 just after 8 a.m., a Huron County OPP officer observed a red Pontiac Grand-Am travelling southbound on Bluewater Veterans Highway near Blyth Road.  The officer noticed the driver struck the shoulder of the road on two occasions. The officer stopped the driver and subsequently checked on his driver’s licence status. Officers learned the driver is currently suspended from driving.

As a result, an 82-year-old man from Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh was charged with driving under suspension. He will have to attend Provincial Offences Court in Goderich on March 19, 2013 to answer to the charge.

GODERICH - The Huron County OPP Criminal Investigation Unit is seeking information from the public in relation to a fire investigation from Jan. 21, 2013.

At  1:15 a.m., Huron County OPP officers and Goderich firefighters responded to a fire at the rear of Watson’s Home Hardware located at 370 Bayfield Road in Goderich.  The fire caused damage to two utility sheds, inventory inside the sheds and to the rear exterior of the main building.   The total value of damage exceeds $10,000.

Investigators have determined the cause of the fire to be arson.  Police continue to investigate and would like to speak with anyone that may have information about this crime.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.