A prominent Niagara-on-the-Lake businessman was hospitalized and is recovering from injuries this week after being rear-ended on Thursday by an accused drunk driver, who moments earlier was being pursued by Niagara Regional Police.
Police said in a media release on Friday they ended the chase along York Road at about 8:49 p.m. on Sept. 10 because the driver of a speeding grey Dodge Ram pickup truck was driving in a “reckless manner,” posing “a risk to public safety.”
Three minutes after, police responded at 8:51 p.m. to a motor vehicle collision on York Road near Four Mile Creek Road, in St. Davids: at the scene, they found the pickup truck had collided with another vehicle.
Police arrested and charged the suspect, 54-year-old Paul-Andre Seguin, with impaired driving, along with four other charges. Seguin has been an officer with Niagara Regional Police for 21 years. He was off-duty at the time of the incident.
Paul Harber, brand manager and chief proprietor at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, says he was the other driver who was hit by the suspect. The winery is located at the intersection where the collision happened.
A video sent to The Lake Report shows security camera footage that appears to be dated Sept. 10 taken of a white pickup truck backing out of a parking spot on the side of the road, then reversing before moving forward, preparing to make a left turn onto York Road.
A few seconds after turning onto the road, a second vehicle can be seen speeding down the road before colliding with the back of the white pickup truck.
Speaking to The Lake Report on Monday from Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines, Harber said he “sustained injuries” and is focusing on his recovery. He received an MRI and ultrasound at the hospital, he said.
“I’m just happy and lucky that both myself and the other driver are alive. It could have been a lot worse for us,” he said.
On the advice of his personal injury lawyer, he wouldn’t share what his injuries were, but said they were not readily apparent when emergency medical services checked him at the collision site, which is why he was not taken to the hospital immediately following the crash.
“All the injuries that I’ve sustained have come to light after the fact,” he said.
Niagara police said Friday the suspect was taken to an out-of-region hospital with serious injuries after his arrest for drunk driving, but that there were no other injuries as a result of the collision.
The incident began with Niagara police responding to reports of an impaired driver at 8:20 p.m. Responding officers located a grey Dodge Ram pickup truck in the area of Glendale Avenue and Taylor Road.
Police tried to conduct a traffic stop at 8:46 p.m., but said the driver, who was “demonstrating signs” of being impaired, refused to comply and fled the scene, which began the pursuit until police ended it on York Road near Townline Road.
Along with impaired operation of a conveyance, police charged the suspect with dangerous operation, refusing to comply with a demand for an alcohol breath sample, flight from peace officer and running a red light.
He was released from custody and suspended with pay.
Following this incident, the Special Investigations Unit has invoked their mandate.
The SIU is a civilian law enforcement agency that investigates incidents involving police officers where there has been death, serious injury, or allegations of sexual assault.
Monica Hudon, a spokesperson for the unit, told The Lake Report it invoked its mandate because police were following the vehicle prior to the collision and because someone was seriously injured.
When asked how long the traffic stop lasted before the suspect fled the scene and how fast the suspect was driving when the collision happened, she said these questions are part of the SIU’s investigation.
