LANARK COUNTY – Lanark County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating a violent act of road rage that left a motorist assaulted and his vehicle ‘keyed,’ one of 316 calls for service between July 27 and Aug. 3.

The Lanark County OPP investigated eight cases of mischief including one road rage incident.

“A road rage incident led to one driver being followed by the other driver, to a local Perth grocery store parking lot on Wilson Street on Aug. 2, just after 5 p.m.,” OPP media relations officer Const. Lori Lobinowich released in a statement today (Aug. 4). “The first driver went in the store and while inside, the second driver keyed the first driver’s vehicle. Upon coming out, the first driver confronted the second driver and was assaulted. The second driver then took off in his vehicle.”

There were six domestic incidents over the week, but no charges were laid. The OPP also investigated six thefts and one break and enter over the week.

On July 27, a 28-year-old resident of Smiths Falls was arrested and charged under the trespass to property act after being caught for shoplifting at a store on McNeely Avenue in the Town of Carleton Place before 1 p.m.

 A 32-year-old resident of Perth, was charged by Carleton Place OPP on July 30, after stealing $180 worth of groceries from a store on McNeely Avenue in Carleton Place. The accused was charged under the trespass to property act for engaging in prohibited activity on premises.

There were 18 motor vehicle collisions in Lanark County over the last week and two suspected impaired drivers were arrested.

“Thanks to a concerned motorist, Lanark County OPP were called regarding a driver almost causing a collision on July 28 just before 3:30 p.m. on Rideau Ferry Road in Drummond-North Elmsley Township,” Lobinowich said. “Officers attended the location and located the vehicle observing the driving themselves and conducted a traffic stop.” 

The subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest and charge of Richard Couch, age 66 of Perth, with operation while impaired and operation while impaired – over 80. The accused’s licence was suspended automatically for 90 days and the vehicle impounded automatically for seven days. Release was in the form of an appearance notice for a scheduled court date of Sept. 16 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Perth.

 On July 31 officers from the Lanark County OPP Detachment were conducting a RIDE checkpoint just before 8 p.m. on Harper Road in Tay Valley Township. As a result, a roadside breath test was conducted on one driver, Adam Koeslag, age 32 of Lanark Highlands Township, who was subsequently arrested and charged with operation while impaired – over 80. The driver’s licence was suspended automatically for 90 days and the vehicle impounded automatically for seven days. Release was in the form of an appearance notice for a scheduled court date of Sept. 21, at the Ontario Court of Justice in Perth.

Police responded to eight cases of fraud over the week.

“Every week residents of Lanark County continue to get calls from scammers advising they are under investigation or their Social Insurance Number (SIN) has been compromised,” Lobinowich said. “One person this week was told this and they should subsequently take all the money out of their bank account. Please do not confirm any part of you SIN number by phone. These calls continue in our area because people continue to provide the information. No police officer or government agency is going to call you and ask you to provide or confirm parts of you SIN.”

Any person with information regarding any criminal activity should immediately contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Lanark County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.