Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Police trying to find woman reportedly forced into a truck:
Greater Sudbury Police say they are concerned for the well-being of an unnamed woman who was reportedly forced into a truck on Frood Road at around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning. Police were called at 12:55 a.m. on Jan. 8 about a woman who appeared to have been forced into a silver or grey pickup truck on Frood, near Jean Street. GSPS said the witness saw the woman exit the vehicle at the intersection and appeared to be having an argument with someone inside the truck, before walking away down Frood Road. "A man was seen exiting the passenger side of the vehicle and chasing after the woman while the driver of the vehicle put the truck in reverse in order to catch up to them," police said in a release this afternoon. "The man was then seen pushing the woman back into the truck. The driver of the truck then drove down Frood Road towards downtown with all three individuals inside." The driver of the vehicle is described as a white man, about 30 years old with his head shaved into a buzz cut, a short beard and wearing a read and black plaid jacket. The passenger who was seen chasing the woman is also described as a white man, also around 30 years of age, with dark eyebrows. He was wearing a black and white toque and a black snowmobiling jacket with white trim and a reflective vest. The woman is described as being approximately 20 with dark hair. She was wearing a toque, dark bomber jacket with fur around the hood and dark pants. "We are looking to check on the well-being of the woman and we are requesting that anyone who may know the identity of the woman or the individuals involved in the incident contact us immediately," police said. Call GSPS at 705-675-9171 ext. 2331. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at SudburyCrimeStoppers.com.
OPP still days away from releasing cause of New Year's Day crash:
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say they are still days away from releasing details on their investigation into the tragic New Year's Day crash that claimed the lives of three children. It has been a week since the crash on Highway 17 claimed the lives of the three Osagie children: six-year-old Britney, 11-year-old Destiny and 10-year-old Flourish. A 10-year-old boy remains in hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries. Investigations of this complexity can take time to complete, said OPP Const. Michelle Coulombe in a telephone interview Tuesday. Coulombe said details regarding the cause of the crash should be released by the end of this week. Asked about the potential for charges to be laid, Coulombe said she couldn't speak to that issue.
Gentili: A tragic start to a new year:
Sudbury.com managing editor Mark Gentili writes this week about a tragic collision that claimed the lives of three young children on New Year's Day. "The pain and heartache the Osagie family must be feeling is unimaginable. As a parent, I can’t even conceive how a person could move on from such an unbelievable tragedy — three children from one family gone in an instant," writes Gentili. Greater Sudbury showed its heart in the days following the accident. A GoFundMe campaign appeared quickly following the crash, aimed at raising funds for the family. It reached its $10,000 goal within days and continued climbing. Read the full column here.
$70M: Somebody just won the biggest lottery prize in Canadian history:
Once the ticket holder for the $70 million LOTTO MAX jackpot from the Tuesday, Jan. 7 draw comes forward to claim their prize, they will be the winner of the biggest lottery prize ever awarded in Canadian history. The winning ticket was sold in Brampton, Ont. So even though we're in Greater Sudbury, if you recently travelled to Southern Ontario and bought a ticket in Brampton, check it, for goodness sakes! The draw also produced some other big wins, including one here in Sudbury ($100,000 in that case).
Wanted Wednesday: Police searching for man linked to four different thefts:
The Greater Sudbury Police Service has an outstanding warrant for the arrest of 31-year-old Branden Lalonde related to multiple thefts. It is alleged that on Sept. 21, Branden Lalonde attended a retail location on Lasalle Boulevard, then on Oct. 27 he attended a retailer located on Lorne Street. On Nov. 7 Lalonde attended a retail store located on Marcus Drive and finally on Dec. 9 he attended another retailer on Lasalle Boulevard. On all of these occasions, Lalonde was seen to take merchandise without offering to pay, therefore committing the offense of theft. Branden Lalonde is believed to be in the area of Greater Sudbury. He is wanted for four counts of theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime. If you know this person and where he is presently located, you are urged to call the Crime Stoppers tip line toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS or locally at 705-222-TIPS (8477).
Frank Marasco case headed to assignment court Feb. 5:
The single count of sexual assault against longtime Sudbury hair stylist Frank Marasco, 75, is heading to assignment court Feb. 5. His matter was before the court Jan. 8. He did not appear in person. Marasco was arrested and charged on Nov. 28. He was released on a promise to appear; however, he was represented by his lawyer. He was the long-time operator of the salon A Touch of Class on Loach's Road, though Sudbury.com has been told he no longer owns the business. Marasco has been a stylist since 1967, according to the description the salon supplied to Google.
The doctor won't see you now: Patients of suspended doc say City of Lakes left them in the lurch:
A pair of patients at City of Lakes Family Health Team in Val Caron have been left without a family physician after their doctor, Paul Malette was suspended for misconduct. Dr. Paul Malette, 63, was suspended by the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons, after a disciplinary panel found that the doctor “committed an act of professional misconduct” for acting in a way with a patient that would be regarded as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional. Two of Malette's longtime patients were stunned when they heard of the accusations. As suprised as they were by the news of the disciplinary action against their doctor, they told Sudbury.com they were angered when they learned the City of Lakes Family Team in Val Caron would not be keeping them on as patients and left them with no options. Get the full story here.
Special fund aims to ensure everyone can enjoy Kivi Park:
The people who worked to create Kivi Park in the city's South End have implemented a plan to ensure they have the funds they need to maintain the park — and that anyone who can't afford a pass will still be able to access the park. Kerry Lamarche, who became the park's executive director last month, said they have created a special account funded by supporters. “So this is a fund that will provide anyone who doesn't have the means to pay for a pass to access to Kivi Park,” Lamarche said. “So when you go online to purchase a Kivi pass, you'll see a link to the Affordability Fund and there you can go through a simple application process and you'll be approved and sent a pass.“We wanted to make sure that no matter what your financial situation is this year – or next year – that you would still be able to access the park.” That fund sits at $33,000 right now, she said, and residents can go online now to apply. More on this story can be found here.
Thursday Weather:
Increasing cloudiness this morning with a 40 per cent chance of flurries late in the morning and in the afternoon. A few flurries beginning late in the afternoon with up to 2 cm of snow falling. Thursday's high will be sitting around -7, feeling like -33 with the wind this morning. There is a risk of frostbite today. Periods of snow tonight, changing to periods of drizzle near midnight. Overnight low will be -2, rising to 3 by the morning. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
