THUNDER BAY – A Thunder Bay man faces numerous charges including impaired driving and dangerous driving causing bodily harm, after crashing his truck into a pedestrian, five vehicles, and two homes on Kenogami Avenue on Tuesday afternoon.
The pedestrian suffered a fractured leg and was treated in hospital, the Thunder Bay Police Service said in a statement Wednesday.
The damage caused from the incident is believed to exceed $300,000, police added.
“His actions changed a lot of people’s lives,” said Acting Sgt. Sal Carchidi of the TBPS. “He destroyed two vehicles, significantly damaged the foundation and main structure of [one] residence, as well as caused severe damage to other vehicles and another residence on the street.”
Police were dispatched to the Thunder Pet store at the corner of Kenogami Avenue and Red River Road just after 1:15 p.m. Tuesday after reports of a multi-vehicle collision.
Officers located the suspect’s truck crashed in the middle of a nearby driveway and a possible ID on the driver, who had fled the scene on foot.
Police located the man by about 1:30 p.m., and he was taken into custody.
At police headquarters, a sample of the suspect’s breath indicated a blood alcohol concentration of 230 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, nearly triple the legal limit, police said.
Derek Wayne Myllari, 36, faces charges including:
• Operation of a Motor Vehicle Causing Bodily Harm
• Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle Causing Bodily Harm
• Operation of a Motor Vehicle with BAC of 80/mg or more per 100/ml of Blood
• Failure to Stop after Accident Causing Bodily Harm
• Obstruct Peace Officer
He appeared in bail court on Wednesday, May 11, and was released from custody with conditions and a future appearance date.
Myllari was driving westbound on Red River when he turned south onto Kenogami, where he collided with several vehicles at the pet shop, before striking others along the roadway and coming to rest in a driveway across the road.
None of the vehicles struck were occupied at the time. Police believe the pedestrian was hit indirectly, struck by one of the vehicles the driver had plowed into.
That person was released from hospital Wednesday morning, police said.
The extent of the damage, which Carchidi called highly unusual, was accounted for partly by the fact the driver appears to have continued accelerating after striking the first vehicle, police believe.
“I think just the driver behaviour, his level of impairment, not stopping after a normal collision," he said. "I can’t say why he didn’t, but investigation would lead us to believe he was likely still on the throttle even after the first couple of collisions.”
However, police said they have no reason to believe the man's actions were deliberate.
“At this time, it seems it solely was caused by the alcohol,” said Carchidi.
Lisa Clutton was in her living room with her baby nearby when she heard a bang, followed by another that shook the house, and realized it had been hit by a truck. He fled the scene almost immediately afterwards, she recalls.
“I said, 'you almost hit my daughter,'” she said. “He just gave a quick look, and then he ran down the street.”
Clutton said other children were near where the accident occurred, making it a stroke of luck noone was more badly injured.
