String of auto thefts, crashes cause $500K in damage: OPP

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A brazen early morning string of auto thefts and crashes in Goderich left $500,000 of property damage in its wake, Huron OPP say.

Officers investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle in near Elgin Avenue in Goderich at about 3:20 a.m. Friday found a damaged pickup that had been abandoned on Kingston Street, police said.

While investigating where the pickup came from, officers located a second damaged vehicle in the parking lot of a car dealership on Bayfield Road. The dealership had been broken into and was heavily damaged, police said.

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A driver in another vehicle then left the lot and drove north on Bayfield Road at a high rate of speed.

“As additional officers converged, the latest suspected stolen vehicle was observed driving the opposite direction on the Goderich Square,” police said.

As an officer tried to stop the vehicle, the driver sped onto Elgin Ave. and collided with five parked vehicles causing extensive damage.

The driver was taken into custody after resisting arrest and assaulting officers, police said. The driver was taken to hospital to be checked out.

Total damage is more than $500,000 police said.

A 32-year-old man faces 16 charges, including three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, failing to stop after an accident and assaulting a peace officer.

He was held for a bail hearing and remanded in custody, police said.

Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation is asked to call Huron County OPP at 519-482-1677 or 1-888-310-1122.

Pedestrian suffers life-threatening injuries in Lucan-Biddulph crash

A pedestrian was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after they were struck by a vehicle in Lucan-Biddulph, Middlesex OPP said.

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The crash occurred early Friday afternoon on Stonehouse Line between Breen Drive and Whalen Line, OPP said in post on X at 1:30 p.m. The location is about five kilometres northeast of Lucan.

The driver of the vehicle was not injured, police said.

“The investigation is in the early stages. So many people are impacted by collisions, let’s hope everyone is OK,” OPP Const. Jeff Hare said in a video posted on X.

“We are thinking of all the people impacted today.”

Stonehouse Line between Breen Drive and Whalen Line is closed while police investigate the crash.

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