OPP seize drugs, taser, imitation firearm during Cardinal traffic stop

Three people are facing a number of drug and weapon-related charges after OPP were called to an assault in the Village of Cardinal.

Shortly after midnight, on Wednesday, September 29, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers responded to a complaint of an assault, but it was soon reported that the suspect had fled the scene in a vehicle.

Officers tracked the vehicle down as it was leaving Cardinal and were able to pull it over. An officer then saw an illegal substance in plain view and the people inside the vehicle were arrested. 

A search related to the arrest then led to the seizure of cannabis in various forms, over 700 grams of prescription pills, a quantity of cash, several cell phones, a conducted energy weapon (commonly known as a taser or stun gun), and an imitation firearm.

Ashton Grima, 20, of Spencerville, has been charged with:

• Failure to comply with release order – contrary to Section 145(5)(a) of the Criminal Code (CC)
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 – contrary to Section 354(1)(a) of the CC
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 – contrary to Section 354(1)(a) of the CC
• Fail to comply with Probation order – contrary to Section 733.1(1) of the CC
• Possession of a Schedule IV substance for the purpose of trafficking – contrary to Section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA)
• Distribute over 30 grams of dried cannabis (or equivalent) – contrary to Section 9(1)(a)(i) of the Cannabis Act (CA)

Jordan Fahrngruber, 30, of Cardinal, has been charged with:

• Fail to comply with Undertaking – contrary to Section 145(4)(a) of the CC
• Assault – contrary to Section 266 of the CC
• Possession of a Schedule I substance –  contrary to Section 4(1) of the CDSA

A youth has been charged with:

• Possession of a prohibited device or ammunition – contrary to Section 92(2) of the CC
• Fail to comply with Undertaking – contrary to Section 145(4)(a) of the CC

The young person was later released and the two adults were held for bail hearings on September 29, 2021, at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brockville.