Another collision on main road in Tavistock

Witnesses say the driver of a red Tesla was taken into custody following the second collision at the same stretch of road in Tavistock where two vehicles owned by the affected family from last week were again victimized. Contributed photo

By Lee Griffi

For the second week in a row, there has been a serious collision on Hope Street East in Tavistock. For the second week in a row, the same family has been victimized.

A young driver is facing several charges after colliding with two parked vehicles on Hope Street East at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Monday.

Oxford OPP said they responded to a report of a three-vehicle collision in the town and added a driver collided with two unoccupied parked vehicles, causing significant damage to both. No serious injuries were reported.

As a result of the investigation, a 22-year-old woman from Mono was charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving, failing to comply with a demand and mischief. She has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in a Woodstock courtroom on Sept. 22.

A transport truck driver was charged with careless driving on the afternoon of Aug. 4 after two parked vehicles at the same address were struck.

Josh Kimpel, whose truck was demolished by the transport truck last week, said he and his brother were sitting in the upstairs back room of their house and heard the latest crash through an open window and ran downstairs.

“I saw my rental in the middle of the road and my dad’s Matrix behind it, and the other car at the neighbour's house. I told Mom to call 911 and made my way out to the Tesla,” she said, adding the driver was already outside the vehicle apologizing and described herself using profanity as being “super” messed up.

Kimpel said he didn’t know if she meant intoxicated or an adrenaline rush at the time, but he was more concerned for the passenger.

“I asked if she was okay or hurt, and she said she didn’t know but thought she was injured. I yelled back to the multiple people on the phone with 911 to add an ambulance to that call, and then from there, fire showed up and started doing their thing and everybody else after.”

Kimpel said he doesn’t have confirmation the rental is totalled, but he assumes it is.

“My dad’s car is likely a write-off as well; simply not worth the repair for the vehicle that it is. After the first time, my girlfriend said something like lightning doesn’t strike twice. But I guess it does. Anything’s possible. Two entirely different situations in six days. Seems like a fluke, but you’ve got to be ready for anything.”

The family also wants to remind the public of the dangers of drinking and driving.

“There is so much education today and so many options. Stay at a friend's or a hotel or call a cab. All of those options are so much cheaper than what she will pay now.”

What the OPP press release did not say is the car wound up on the opposite side of the street, pinned between a tree and a rental property.

Donna Schwass, who owns the rental property but lives on Hope Street West, said trucks should not be allowed on Hope Street.

“Once it was taken over by Oxford County, it showed up on all the digital maps. Here on Hope West, we can’t stop it because there is no other way for (the trucks) to go. But Hope East should not have trucks.”

Schwass also believes parking should not be allowed on either side of Hope West as the road is simply too narrow for parked vehicles and trucks.

“Number one, get rid of the parking lanes. Number two, we should have bicycle/scooter lanes which are four feet wide. Having wider lanes for traffic, I think, would be by far the best solution. You can’t make that road any wider, so you have to reduce the traffic on it. Getting rid of trucks and parking lanes will make a difference.”

She added another concern is when people park on the side of the road to visit Ray’s Produce.

“People park, jump out of their cars and run across the road. Somebody is going to get killed there.”

Schwass said a lack of police presence in the town is also a contributing factor for unsafe driving.

“We see a police officer once every three to six months, and I am home all of the time. We have lived in this home for almost 13 years and have seen one RIDE program. I would like to see this become an election issue.”

She added studies on both policing and traffic need to be done in Tavistock and the township.