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http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2006/05/20/1589142-sun.html
Victim or vigilante?
Teen arrested at Caledonia blockade alleges death threats
By BRODIE FENLON, TORONTO SUN
TORONTO -- An 18-year-old army reservist claims he was abducted by a group of Native protesters in Caledonia, blindfolded, threatened with death, and marched out to provincial police an hour later with his hands still duct-taped behind him.
Ron Desrochers, 18, a Grade 12 student in Woodstock and reservist with the Waterloo-based 48th Field Engineer Squadron, was arrested at the Caledonia Native blockade by the OPP Thursday evening for dangerous driving, but was released a few hours later without charge.
A Native protester told a local TV station that Desrochers was "driving around like crazy" and narrowly missed protesters behind barriers before being arrested by volunteers.
Clyde Powless, a spokesman for the protesters, told a reporter the teen began speeding after he was let through the barricade and was stopped by Native security workers.
Desrochers claims he got lost behind the blockade after leaving his stepmother's shop and soon found himself boxed in by two pickup trucks on the 6th Line near Hwy. 6.
He claims he made an aborted 911 call as more than 15 Natives approached his Honda Civic, pulled him from the car, took his cellphone and dog tags, and brought him by truck to their tent headquarters.
The teen claims he was then threatened with death, blindfolded, his hands were duct-taped, and he was held for an hour.
"I figured that was it. They were going to kill me. That's what they were telling me they were going to do," he recalled yesterday.
His father, Ron Desrochers Sr., said he was contacted moments later by the OPP who were investigating the hang-up on 911 -- a call made from a cellphone registered in his name.
'WE DON'T TAKE SIDES'
Blockade spokespeople Dick Hill and Hazel Hill said they were in meetings and unable to speak to the Sun yesterday. They did not return repeated calls. Six Nations spokeswoman Janie Jamieson could not be reached by phone, nor could spokeswoman Jacqueline House.
"The investigation is ongoing at this point," OPP Const. Doug Graham said. "As the OPP, we don't take sides. We will investigate both sides equally and fairly."
"They kidnapped him, used him as a hostage and stole his car and his dog tags," Desrochers Sr. said. "There's got to be consequences. The kid was threatened numerous times."
The teen says his captors consulted with elders who hatched a plan to make him apologize for the incident.
He claims he was walked out to the main blockade with his hands still taped behind his back.
He made the apology on camera for a Hamilton TV news crew and was then released into the custody of OPP officers standing nearby.
Police found a pellet gun in his car and Desrochers' helmet and vest he was going to use at reserve training the same night, he said.
"The police officers treated me no better than the Natives," Desrochers said. "I was put in a cell for three hours ... they wouldn't let me phone my parents."
The blockade stems from a Native occupation of a partially completed subdivision that began Feb. 28 over a disputed land claim. After a police raid last month, protesters blocked the main route through Caledonia, but have begun letting local traffic pass. Negotiations to settle the standoff have been going on between former premier David Peterson and Six Nations Confederacy Chief Allen McNaughton for over two weeks.
[email protected]
I personally do not know much other then the story here. anyone know the guy in the story and is he a level headed guy or?
Victim or vigilante?
Teen arrested at Caledonia blockade alleges death threats
By BRODIE FENLON, TORONTO SUN
TORONTO -- An 18-year-old army reservist claims he was abducted by a group of Native protesters in Caledonia, blindfolded, threatened with death, and marched out to provincial police an hour later with his hands still duct-taped behind him.
Ron Desrochers, 18, a Grade 12 student in Woodstock and reservist with the Waterloo-based 48th Field Engineer Squadron, was arrested at the Caledonia Native blockade by the OPP Thursday evening for dangerous driving, but was released a few hours later without charge.
A Native protester told a local TV station that Desrochers was "driving around like crazy" and narrowly missed protesters behind barriers before being arrested by volunteers.
Clyde Powless, a spokesman for the protesters, told a reporter the teen began speeding after he was let through the barricade and was stopped by Native security workers.
Desrochers claims he got lost behind the blockade after leaving his stepmother's shop and soon found himself boxed in by two pickup trucks on the 6th Line near Hwy. 6.
He claims he made an aborted 911 call as more than 15 Natives approached his Honda Civic, pulled him from the car, took his cellphone and dog tags, and brought him by truck to their tent headquarters.
The teen claims he was then threatened with death, blindfolded, his hands were duct-taped, and he was held for an hour.
"I figured that was it. They were going to kill me. That's what they were telling me they were going to do," he recalled yesterday.
His father, Ron Desrochers Sr., said he was contacted moments later by the OPP who were investigating the hang-up on 911 -- a call made from a cellphone registered in his name.
'WE DON'T TAKE SIDES'
Blockade spokespeople Dick Hill and Hazel Hill said they were in meetings and unable to speak to the Sun yesterday. They did not return repeated calls. Six Nations spokeswoman Janie Jamieson could not be reached by phone, nor could spokeswoman Jacqueline House.
"The investigation is ongoing at this point," OPP Const. Doug Graham said. "As the OPP, we don't take sides. We will investigate both sides equally and fairly."
"They kidnapped him, used him as a hostage and stole his car and his dog tags," Desrochers Sr. said. "There's got to be consequences. The kid was threatened numerous times."
The teen says his captors consulted with elders who hatched a plan to make him apologize for the incident.
He claims he was walked out to the main blockade with his hands still taped behind his back.
He made the apology on camera for a Hamilton TV news crew and was then released into the custody of OPP officers standing nearby.
Police found a pellet gun in his car and Desrochers' helmet and vest he was going to use at reserve training the same night, he said.
"The police officers treated me no better than the Natives," Desrochers said. "I was put in a cell for three hours ... they wouldn't let me phone my parents."
The blockade stems from a Native occupation of a partially completed subdivision that began Feb. 28 over a disputed land claim. After a police raid last month, protesters blocked the main route through Caledonia, but have begun letting local traffic pass. Negotiations to settle the standoff have been going on between former premier David Peterson and Six Nations Confederacy Chief Allen McNaughton for over two weeks.
[email protected]
I personally do not know much other then the story here. anyone know the guy in the story and is he a level headed guy or?
