Man, 70, charged with stunt driving after going wrong way on Hwy. 401

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patch is seen in Ottawa, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Ontario Provincial Police have charged a 70-year-old driver who was allegedly going the wrong way on Highway 401 last week.

Police say they received numerous 911 calls shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26, reporting a driver in a silver SUV travelling eastbound in the westbound lanes of the highway in Loyalist Township.

The driver entered the highway at Camden East Road and continued for approximately seven kilometres before exiting at Wilton Road, police said in an email to CTV News.

Callers reported the driver was "veering around other traffic" at highway speeds of 100 km/h, reducing to 50 km/h at times.

No collisions were reported.

OPP and local police located the driver, a 70-year-old man from Etobicoke, parked in a neighbourhood in Kingston.

Police were able to find him after a family member reported him as a missing person at the time of the incident. A cell phone ping for the driver provided a general location of his whereabouts, police said.

The motorist was charged with dangerous operation and stunt driving. He will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Napanee at a later date.

Lennox and Addington OPP are seeking any witnesses of the incident or anyone who may have dashcam video.

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-888-310-1122, reference number E241694379.