Trucker in Hwy. 11 near-crash video that went viral ID'd by OPP

Ontario Provincial Police say they have tracked down a truck driver they believe was involved in near-crash on a highway near Nipigon, north of Thunder Bay, last month.

Video and audio of the incident was recorded on a dashboard camera by a tractor-trailer driver, and widely distributed on social media.

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It showed the northbound driver being forced to steer his transport truck into guardrails alongside Highway 11 to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming tractor-trailer that was in the process of passing a snowplow. The driver of the oncoming transport truck continued south on Highway 11.

"I'm just hoping life will slowly get back to normal again. This has been a pretty major experience for me and my family," said Art Ginter, the driver whose dashboard camera captured the event. "I don't like a lot of attention, but when this happened I was not really left with much choice but to do what I did."

After examining and enhancing the video, OPP were able to identify the vehicle involved in the incident.

"I'm glad they have been able to identify the driver. Again, I did not do this to throw the driver under the bus, but I just wanted him identified for my insurance company," Ginter said.

Police said Highway Traffic Act charges are pending against a 31-year-old man from Milton, Ont. His name is being withheld until charges are laid, which will likely happen within the next several days.

In a news release, Nipigon OPP detachment commander Staff Sgt. Randy Bye said, "it was obvious from the video ... that this incident could have easily resulted in much more tragic circumstances."

Bye said the investigation was a lengthy one involving 40 to 50 hours of work by members of three different platoons. He told CBC News that officers put in "a lot of legwork digging through company files and information ... there was a lot of time and effort."