Accused in attempted murder near Port Dover remains in custody

Little information is being released about a Saturday multi-vehicle collision near Port Dover that ended with the death of one woman and the attempted murder of a man.

Article content

Norfolk OPP prosecutor Andrew Gamble said two publication bans were imposed during a weekend video court appearance by the man accused of attempted murder, driving offenses including dangerous driving causing death and possession of a weapon.

“Sections 486.4 and 486.5 of the Criminal Code prohibit the release of information that could identify a complainant, witness or accused to safeguard the victim,” Gamble said.

“Therefore, no further information can be provided.”

The Norfolk man and his case were briefly discussed in Simcoe’s Ontario Court of Justice on Tuesday and it was put over to Sept. 20 when a Justice of the Peace will continue hearing discussions on whether he can be released on bail.

The charges stem from a five-vehicle crash near Matz Fruit Barn on Highway 6 near Port Dover, involving three motorcyclesa pickup truck and an SUV, just before 5 pm on Sept. 14.

Article content

Police said a 33-year-old passenger on one of the motorcycles died in the collision and the driver of the same bike had serious injuries. Another motorcyclist had minor injuries.

The deceased – a woman according to court documents – is from Sudbury.

Afterwards, an “altercation took place” resulting in serious injuries to a person said to be a bystander.

The man charged with attempted murder is also charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm and driving dangerously.

A woman who said she and a friend drove past the scene about a minute after it occurred, said it was terrible to see.

“I saw a girl laying in the driveway with a hand on her head. A helmet was in a driveway looking to be broken. There was a guy in the ditch and glass all over the road.”

Article content

The woman and her friend were quickly waved through the area to allow first-responders to arrive.

The collision and publication ban on the name of the man accused of attempted murder has been a hot topic of debate on social media.

“It was just crazy!” posted a woman who said she was at the collision scene.

One woman alleged the man was “traveling at excessive speed” and almost took off the front end of her car on Port Dover’s main street.

Another poster said a friend was at the scene and when a driver saw the damage he had caused, he allegedly “went off the rails”.

Norfolk OPP continues to ask for witnesses or those who might have dash-cam footage from traveling along Highway 6 at the time of the collision to contact them at 1-888-310-1122.

Article content

The multi-vehicle collision was part of a spate of collisions in or around Port Dover during a huge Friday the 13th party that may have attracted as many as 100,000 to the lakeside town.

A 23-year-old motorcyclist from Oxford County was killed in a collision with an SUV on Thompson Road East near Waterford, just before 7 am on Friday, leaving the driver of the SUV with non-life-threatening injuries.

On Sunday Norfolk OPP arrested Ahmad Hammadeh, 19, of Hamilton, and charged him with dangerous operation causing death.

A two-vehicle collision in Hagersville Friday afternoon took the life of a 22-year-old when two passenger vehicles collided at McKenzie Road and 3rd Line near Hagersville.

[email protected]

@EXPSGamble

Article content