Teen charged with impaired after fatal single-vehicle crash near Pakenham

One teen is dead following a single-vehicle collision near Pakenham late Monday night, in which another teen was charged with impaired.

Members of the Lanark County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police responded to the crash on the 8th Concession of South Pakenham, near Cedar Hill Sideroad, shortly before midnight on Dec. 15.

Police say a passenger was trapped inside the vehicle, while the driver and another passenger were able to exit on their own. The Mississippi Mills Fire Department freed the trapped individual, but despite life-saving efforts by Lanark County Paramedics, the 18-year-old male from Mississippi Mills Township was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The two other occupants were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

A 17-year-old male has been arrested and charged under the Criminal Code with operation while impaired causing death, operation while impaired causing bodily harm, and operation while impaired with a blood alcohol concentration of 80 milligrams or more of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. Due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, police cannot release names of those accused who are under 18.

The accused was released from police custody with conditions and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Perth in January.

Anyone with information about the circumstances leading up to the collision is asked to contact the Lanark County OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and refer to incident number E251683346.