The Bracebridge Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) charged two men with impaired driving following a highway crash in Georgian Bay Township and a separate traffic stop in Bracebridge this week. On March 23, 2026, at 1:00 a.m., officers responded to a single-vehicle collision on Highway 400 South near Twelve Mile Bay Road where a car struck a guard rail, causing significant damage.
The driver fled the scene on foot but was located by the OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) hiding in the woods. Police charged Eduardo Jorge Navarrete, 33, of Richmond Hill, with impaired operation, over 80, public mischief, and failing to stop after an accident. He is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice on May 5, 2026.
The following night, at approximately 9:40 p.m., police stopped another vehicle on Dominion Street in Bracebridge. Timothy Bonnis, 35, of Gravenhurst, was charged with drug-impaired driving, possession of cocaine, and driving while under suspension.
These arrests come after Ontario introduced tougher road safety penalties on January 1, 2026. The new regulations include lifetime licence suspensions for anyone convicted of impaired driving that causes a death, as well as increased roadside suspensions for repeat offenders.
Inspector Wade Beebe, Detachment Commander for the Bracebridge OPP, noted that calls from concerned citizens often help officers locate dangerous drivers. He stated that an impaired driving charge leads to an immediate 90-day licence suspension and a $550 ticket, in addition to vehicle impoundment, higher insurance costs, and legal fees.
