York Regional Police have charged an off-duty officer, with impaired driving in a crash that sent a motorcyclist to hospital.
The crash happened around 7:15 on Sunday evening near Highway 7 and York Durham Line.
Officers arrived on scene and found a motorcyclist with serious injuries, and they were taken to hospital.
The driver of the Nissan Pathfinder, that collided with the motorcycle, took off and was tracked down a short-time later.
The driver, Nathan Coates, 42 from Oshawa, was charged with Impaired driving causing bodily harm, operation with over 80mg of alcohol causing bodily harm, failure to stop at the scene of an accident and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
He'll be in court again on October 24th.
Coates has been with York Regional Police since 2005, and was working as a uniform patrol officer out of the Whitchurch-Stouffville area. He's been suspended from duty, and in addition to the criminal charges, may also face additional charges under the Police Services Act.
“This incident is extremely disheartening and does not reflect the values of our organization. As law enforcement professionals, we are in a position of trust and we are rightfully held to a higher standard by members of our community,” said Chief Eric Jolliffe in a release. “Every day, our members are committed to keeping our community safe, especially when it comes to impaired driving. For those members who do not uphold our values and make the unforgivable decision to drive while impaired, they will be held accountable for their actions, without exception.”