Paramedic charged with drunk driving

Accused in Oakville crash that sent car into lake was new to Peel services Aaron Dobbs, of Welland, Ont., has been charged with impaired driving causing death.

A new Peel Region Paramedic has been charged with impaired driving causing death following a bizarre crash that sent a car into Lake Ontario in Oakville in the early hours on Monday, killing one.

The Peel Region Paramedics union confirmed in a tweet Tuesday morning that Aaron Dobbs, 22, is a new member.

“We can confirm that the accused in yesterday’s Oakville crash into the lake was one of our new members,” the tweet read. “Our thoughts are with the families of those impacted. We are unable to comment further as the matter is before the courts.”

Dobbs, of Welland, Ont., has been charged with impaired driving causing death and refusing to provide a breath sample. He appeared in court in Milton on Tuesday, where the victim of the crash was identified as Shawn Harpur.

Halton police had earlier said the victim was a 27-year-old man from Mississauga, but said they would not confirm his name at the request of his family.

Richard Doborowicz, a nextdoor neighbour who said he has known Harpur’s family for about 25 years, described him as quiet.

Doborowicz said he last spoke to Harpur, whom he said was one of four children, about two weeks ago as both were cutting their grass.

“I sort of expect to see him out of that door again,” he said.

According to his Facebook page, Harpur recently worked at Scaddabush Italian restaurant.

Harpur’s family requested privacy when contacted by the Star.

His body was recovered west of the crash scene around 11a.m. Monday, near the former site of Edgemere Estate, a landmark property in Oakville’s “gold coast” of mega-mansions.

Speaking to reporters at the scene, Const. Ryan Anderson said police found his body on the shore about 600 metres from the crash, adding he could not speculate on how the body got to the location where it was found.

“How the deceased ended up there I don’t know,” he said.

No one else was believed to be in the car at the time, police said.

Halton police were initially called to the area of Maple Grove Dr. and Lakeshore Rd. E. just after 3 a.m. Monday morning to investigate reports someone was knocking on doors.

Officers found a man in the area and a navy blue Chrysler four-door sedan in the lake at the dead end of Maple Grove.