(ESSA, ON) - Members of the Nottawasaga Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged one individual with impaired driving following a two-vehicle collision in Essa Township.
On October 18, 2025, shortly before 10:00 pm, Nottawasaga OPP responded to an automatic crash notification on County Road 56 between 20 Sideroad and 25 Sideroad. Upon arrival, officers located two vehicles involved in the collision.
One vehicle was located in the ditch with moderate front-end damage. The second vehicle, was located upside down on the west side of the roadway. Investigations revealed that while travelling southbound, a northbound vehicle entered the opposite lane forcing the driver to swerve and leave the roadway to avoid a head-on collision. Both drivers were assessed by EMS as a precaution and reported no injuries.
Prior to the collision, officer had received a driving complaint regarding one of the vehicles, which was reportedly travelling at high speeds, drifting into oncoming lanes, braking erratically, and preventing other vehicles from merging.
During the interaction, grounds were formed that one of the driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle was impaired by alcohol, leading to the driver’s arrest.
As a result of the investigation, Edwin SHAJI 23 of Barrie was charged with:
- Operation while impaired - blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)
- Operation while impaired - alcohol and drugs
The accused is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Bradford on November 20, 2025, to answer to the charges.