Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A stabbing during an apparent road rage incident in Amherstview led to a major drug and weapons bust in Napanee this weekend.
The series of events started on Thursday when Breanne Hass, a 24-year-old of Quinte West, allegedly stabbed a 47-year-old driver during an altercation on Amherst Drive. Hass fled the scene but was arrested Friday morning.
Investigators executed a search warrant at an apartment where she lived with her boyfriend in Napanee. During the search they recovered a quantity of illegal drugs-including ecstasy, cocaine, crystal meth and cannabis, as well two long guns, a rifle, a starter’s pistol, machete and $4,000 in cash as well as stolen property.
Following the warrant, Lennox and Addington OPP sought Hass’ 22-year-old boyfriend, Michel Leroux of Napanee, who they believed was in the car during the alleged stabbing. He turned himself in to police custody on Saturday.
Hass has been charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose, possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling, failure to comply with a bail condition, possession of firearm with tampered serial number, possession of cocaine and careless storage of a firearm, among other charges.
Leroux is charged with accessory after the fact, possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling, careless storage of a firearm, possession of cocaine, among other charges.
“We were able to take somebody off the street that obviously has a propensity for violence and of course that tends to be the trend,” said L&A OPP Staff Sgt. Insp. Scott Semple. “If you got somebody that’s willing to stab somebody over a road rage incident, you’re likely going to connect this to this type of (drug) activity.”
Semple warns motorists to avoid escalating conflicts with strangers on the road.
“If you get into a conflict with somebody while driving or whatever, just don’t get engaged and call us,” said Semple. “This is what we do. We saw the results of somebody trying to deal with something on their own, you never know who you’re dealing with.”
Semple credited the work of the OPP as well as the public’s assistance in helping to get the two suspects in custody.
“We had somebody in custody within 24 hours and that was a lot of good work going on from our front line officers and our crime unit,” said Semple. “I couldn’t be more proud of the work they did.”