Man charged after driving badly damaged vehicle on Highway 401 after earlier crash

A man is facing multiple charges after driving a badly damaged vehicle on Highway 401 following an earlier crash, Ontario Provincial Police say.

The 24-year-old man has been charged with operating an unsafe vehicle and driving without a licence, according to Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, spokesperson for the OPP’s Highway Safety Division.

Schmidt said on Friday on X, formerly Twitter, that police received several reports at about 6 p.m. on Thursday that the man was driving the damaged vehicle erratically on Highway 401 westbound near Keele Street.

Officers intercepted the vehicle and stopped it near Dixon Road, he said.

Police found out that the vehicle had been involved in an earlier crash east of the Greater Toronto Area. An investigation into that crash is continuing, he added.

“Certainly, a dangerous situation with pieces failing off and vehicle not staying together — it could have resulted in more collisions down the road,” Schmidt said.