Harbour Grace RCMP arrested 74-year-old George Malcolm Whalen on Nov. 23 after he fled the scene of a collision between his vehicle and a dirt bike. Whalen has been restricted from operating a motor vehicle since 2017, due to a lifetime driving prohibition which was imposed after his conviction on the charge of impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m. on the afternoon of Nov. 23, police received a call about a collision between an SUV and a dirt bike on Saddle Hill in Carbonear. Police located a red Honda dirt bike which had been struck by another vehicle. The driver of the dirt bike, a youth, was transported to Carbonear Hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the SUV fled the scene in his vehicle. Whalen was arrested and faces charges of failure to stop after an accident resulting in bodily harm and operation of a motor vehicle while prohibited.

He was released from custody and is set to appear in court in January 2024. The investigation is continuing, to determine if any violations of the Off Road Vehicles Act occurred. The RCMP thanks the public for their assistance in this investigation.