Thunder Bay Man Remanded After Police Investigations Lead to Multiple Charges

THUNDER BAY – NEWS – A 40-year-old Thunder Bay man has been remanded into custody after Thunder Bay Police Service investigations into two vehicle-related incidents and a downtown arrest led to numerous charges.

Police say the files include allegations involving impaired operation, dangerous operation, flight from police, prohibited driving, assault of a peace officer and release-order breaches.

Police Say Incidents Began With Traffic Stop Attempt

According to Thunder Bay Police, officers with the Traffic Unit were patrolling the Simpson Street area on Feb. 28, 2026, when they saw a bright blue Dodge pickup truck leaving a business parking lot with invalid plates.

Police say officers determined the driver was using a plate not authorized for the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop on Walsh Street East. As an officer approached, police allege the driver reversed toward the officer at high speed, struck a police cruiser and fled. No officers were injured.

The pickup was later found in a snowbank at Arthur Street East and Syndicate Avenue South. Police say the driver had left the scene.

Second Incident Reported on Windsor Street South

Police say that on March 6, 2026, Primary Response Unit officers were patrolling the Windsor Street South area when they located a sleeping driver behind the wheel of a running vehicle with incorrect plates.

When officers attempted to speak with the driver, police allege the driver fled.

On April 28, 2026, officers located the suspect in both investigations. Thunder Bay police say officers with the Community Oriented Response and Engagement Unit arrested him in the Pearl Street area while working as part of Project Support, an initiative aimed at addressing public safety in the city’s downtown cores. Police say the arrest followed a brief foot pursuit.

Accused and Charges

Randall Nault, 40, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:
Operation while impaired — alcohol and drugs
Personation with intent to avoid arrest, prosecution or obstruct justice, also known as identity fraud
Operation while prohibited under the Criminal Code, three counts
Owner operating a motor vehicle without insurance
Dangerous operation, two counts
Flight from peace officer, two counts
Failure to comply with release order, five counts
Aggravated assault of a peace officer
Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
Failure to stop after accident, two counts
Theft under $5,000
Resist peace officer

Nault was remanded into custody after his first court appearance. Police thank members of the public for helping identify the accused after a public appeal for information.

What the Criminal Code Charges Mean

Operation while impaired is set out in section 320.14 of the Criminal Code. It applies when a person operates a conveyance while their ability is impaired by alcohol, a drug or a combination of both.

For a basic impaired-operation offence, section 320.19 allows a maximum penalty of 10 years if prosecuted by indictment, or a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment of up to two years less a day, or both, if prosecuted by summary conviction.

Mandatory minimum penalties include a $1,000 fine for a first offence, 30 days in jail for a second offence and 120 days for each subsequent offence.

Dangerous operation, failure to stop after an accident, flight from a peace officer and operation while prohibited are also Criminal Code conveyance offences. Section 320.16 requires a driver involved in an accident with another person or conveyance to stop, provide their name and address and offer assistance where needed.

Section 320.17 covers failing to stop for police while being pursued. Section 320.18 covers operating a conveyance while prohibited from doing so. For basic offences under sections 320.13(1), 320.16(1), 320.17 and 320.18(1), section 320.19 allows a maximum of 10 years if prosecuted by indictment, or summary-conviction penalties.

The identity-fraud allegation falls under section 403 of the Criminal Code. That section includes fraudulently personating another person with intent to avoid arrest or prosecution, or to obstruct, pervert or defeat the course of justice. The maximum penalty is 10 years if prosecuted by indictment, or summary-conviction penalties.

Failure to comply with a release order is addressed in section 145(5) of the Criminal Code. It applies when a person who is at large on a release order allegedly fails, without lawful excuse, to comply with a condition of that order, other than the condition to attend court. The offence carries a maximum of two years if prosecuted by indictment, or summary-conviction penalties.

Aggravated assault of a peace officer is set out in section 270.02 of the Criminal Code. It applies where, while committing an assault referred to in section 270, a person wounds, maims, disfigures or endangers the life of the complainant. It is an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of 14 years.

Possession of property obtained by crime is addressed in section 354 of the Criminal Code, with penalties set out in section 355. Where the value is more than $5,000, the maximum penalty is 10 years if prosecuted by indictment, or summary-conviction penalties.

Theft under $5,000 is covered by section 334(b) of the Criminal Code. If prosecuted by indictment, it carries a maximum of two years in jail. If prosecuted by summary conviction, the general Criminal Code summary-conviction penalty can include a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment of up to two years less a day, or both, unless another penalty is provided.

Resisting a peace officer falls under section 129 of the Criminal Code, which includes resisting or wilfully obstructing a public officer or peace officer in the execution of duty. The maximum penalty is two years if prosecuted by indictment, or summary-conviction penalties.

The allegation of operating a motor vehicle without insurance is not a Criminal Code offence. In Ontario, it is a provincial offence under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act. Penalties can include fines ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 for a first conviction and $10,000 to $50,000 for a subsequent conviction.

Local Public Safety Context

The allegations involve several busy Thunder Bay areas, including Simpson Street, Walsh Street East, Arthur Street East, Syndicate Avenue South, Windsor Street South and Pearl Street.

These routes connect residential areas, businesses and downtown corridors, making fleeing-driver and impaired-operation allegations especially serious for public safety.

For Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, vehicle-related criminal investigations also place demands on front-line policing, emergency response and court resources. Project Support and CORE Unit patrols reflect ongoing police efforts to address safety concerns in the city’s downtown areas.

All charges remain allegations before the court. Nault is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.