Concerned drivers made a call that likely averted a highway disaster, OPP says
By Jeff Gray
July 8, 2008

Concerned drivers who saw a wildly swerving tractor-trailer run other cars off the road and spill metal debris onto Highway 401 did the right thing and called 911 on their cellphones, police say, allowing officers to catch an allegedly impaired driver before a potentially horrific crash.

The truck, which police say was "grossly overloaded" with its cargo of crushed cars, was headed eastbound near Cambridge, Ont., on Sunday night. Around 8:50, the Ontario Provincial Police started to get calls that the truck was swerving violently from side to side and had twice appeared close to rolling over, with its wheels leaving the ground.

OPP Sergeant Cam Woolley said police were lucky to stop the truck just four minutes later, adding that in another 20 minutes or so it would have hit a difficult curve near Lake Kelso, east of Campbellford.

"It probably would have been a disaster. ... He was coming into the curve at Kelso and we think there was no way he would have made it. He was having trouble just going in a straight line," Sgt. Woolley said.

Once police caught up with the man, who was described by Sgt. Woolley as "not particularly co-operative," they administered a breath test they say revealed well over three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood. They also say they found open alcohol in his cab, along with a prohibited switchblade and the man's pet terrier.

Terry Dow, 33, of nearby Monkton, Ont., appeared in court yesterday in Kitchener facing 15 charges, not only for impaired and dangerous driving and for carrying a prohibited weapon, but for possessing more than one licence, failing to have his truck inspected, carrying an insecure and overweight load, having a dirty licence plate and breaching his probation. Sgt. Woolley would not elaborate on any previous charges. Mr. Dow was remanded in custody and will have another hearing tomorrow.

The trucking industry says this kind of incident is rare, citing provincial government statistics that show truckers are less likely to drink and drive and less likely to be at fault in collisions than other motorists.

"There are 200,000 people who work in the industry, and you can't take any group of 200,000 people and have them all be Boy Scouts," said Doug Switzer, vice-president of public affairs for the Ontario Trucking Association. "... But statistically, truck drivers are among the safest drivers."