The driver of a red pickup truck that collided with a beige sedan on The Kingsway June 29 was intoxicated at the time of the crash, Greater Sudbury Police says.
Greater Sudbury Police Service spokesperson Kaitlyn Greenough confirmed the details to Sudbury.com after the driver of the sedan struck by the truck posted on Facebook that he “was nearly killed by a drunk driver” the night before.
“Even though my car was totaled, I was fortunate enough to walk away with only a few bumps and bruises,” Marty Robert wrote in a post on June 30. “I don't understand how people continue to do this as we are all very much aware of the repercussions.”
Robert's post also said that the driver of the truck was traveling over 100 kilometres per hour at the time of the crash and that he had a blood alcohol level level of three times over the legal limit.
The serious crash happened just after 8 p.m. at the intersection of The Kingsway and Third Avenue.
Police say the 35-year-old man driving the truck lost control of the vehicle, struck a light pole and traffic light, crossed the centre line and collided with the sedan in the oncoming lane.
The sedan was attempting to turn at the time.
Greenough said police administered a roadside sobriety test on the driver of the truck and he failed. A subsequent breathalyzer test confirmed the man was over the legal limit, she said.
Damian Graham, a resident in the area, was one of the first to happen on the scene.
"I heard the bang and I came over and saw both cars were pretty badly smashed," Graham told Sudbury'com's Matt Durnan at the scene. "The beige car was in the westbound lane, trying to make a left turn. The red truck was trying to stop and it took out the pole and then the guy in the beige car tried to get out of the way but they collided."
Graham and the driver of a tow truck helped to pull the driver of the truck out of his badly damaged vehicle.
"He wasn't badly hurt or anything but he wasn't really sure where he was or what had happened," said Graham. "Me and a tow truck driver popped the door open and got him out."
The man has been charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving and two counts of breaching probation.
He is due to make a first appearance in court July 12.
