

Codi Wilson and Amara McLaughlin, CP24.com





A 32-year-old Pickering man has been charged with mischief after police say cinderblocks were hurled into traffic from several overpasses along Highway 401 this past week.

The first incident was reported around 10 p.m. on Sunday night near Progress Avenue.

Chad Charlemagne told CTV News Toronto he was heading eastbound on Hwy. 401 when all of a sudden he heard a “big bang," as a cement cinderblock came crashing through his Jeep Wrangler, landing in the passenger’s seat.

“Basically I thought it was a bomb,” Charlemagne said, adding that he saw his life flash before his eyes.

The driver, although shaken up, was not physically injured.

"I was just blessed that I didn't get hit with any concrete," he said.

The second incident was reported around 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday at the Yonge Street overpass, resulting in some minor damage to vehicles. About an hour later, OPP spokesperson Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said a witness called police to report a similar instance on an overpass further east at Warden Avenue.

"When people are throwing not just bricks, but full cinderblock pieces of cement off of an overpass onto traffic below the results can be deadly and catastrophic," Schmidt said. "this is not just mischief. This is criminal negligence."

Suspect arrested overnight, appearing in court Thursday

On Thursday morning, Schmidt confirmed one suspect was arrested overnight in connection with all three incidents.

“With the tips from the public and the attention that the media brought on this incident, we now have one man in custody,” he said.

The man, identified by police as Everton Emmanuel James, is facing three counts of mischief endangering life.

Schmidt said one witness in particular played a major role in identifying a suspect.

"Thanks to one specific witness, for sure, that actually thought it was suspicious, wondering what was going on, took some pictures of the person and of the vehicle in question," he said.

Dash camera footage also contributed to identifying the accussed, he added.

“We were able to take all of that together, identify a suspect, identify a vehicle and follow up on that and bring this investigation to a very quick close."

“The fact is that someone proactively saw something suspicious on a highway, thought it was out of sorts and took the time to take a few pictures of what he was seeing, it just goes to show how we all need to work together as a community.”

James appeared in Old City Hall court for a bail hearing on Thursday, but his case was put over until Friday.