Thunder Bay Police Say Terry Allen Pelto, 38, Is Charged With 23 Counts by a Tally of the Listed Charges, Including Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Fentanyl, After a Vehicle That Refused to Stop for a Traffic Unit Officer Collided With a Tree Near Ravenwood Crescent and a K9 Unit Officer Arrested a Man Found in Possession of a Loaded Handgun That Had Its Serial Number Removed (October 23, 2026)
The Thunder Bay Police Service says a Traffic Unit officer saw a vehicle being driven erratically on Water Street shortly after 9:20 a.m. on Friday, October 23, 2026, that the driver refused to stop and the officer did not pursue, and that after multiple 911 calls the vehicle was located a short time later after colliding with a tree near Ravenwood Crescent. The force says the driver fled on foot and that a K9 Unit officer located and arrested a male matching the suspect description just before 9:45 a.m., who “was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun that had its serial number removed,” along with other prohibited weapons and quantities of suspected illicit substances. Terry Allen Pelto, 38, is charged with 23 counts by a tally of the listed charges, among them Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Fentanyl.
Legal status: Charged and remanded into custody after an initial court appearance. The allegations have not been tested in court and Terry Allen Pelto is presumed innocent.
The Water Street Sighting and the Collision Near Ravenwood Crescent
According to the release, the officer who first saw the vehicle was a member of the Thunder Bay Police Service Traffic Unit. The force says the driver refused to stop and that the officer did not pursue. It says the vehicle was found a short time later, after multiple 911 calls, after colliding with a tree near Ravenwood Crescent, and that the driver then fled on foot.
The force says a Thunder Bay Police Service K9 Unit officer located and arrested a male matching the suspect description just before 9:45 a.m. The release says the male “was transported to hospital for assessment but was later transported to the Thunder Bay Police Service station.” Pelto was remanded into custody following an initial court appearance. The release carries the occurrence number TB26042706.
The Charge List
The release sets out the charges below. The figure of 23 is a tally of the listed charges; the force states no total of its own, and the tally covers the listed charges only, because the release also refers to multiple provincial offences that it does not itemise. Pelto is presumed innocent and none of the charges has been tested in court.
Charges as the release words them
- Driving: Flight From Police; Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle; Impaired Operation of a Motor Vehicle; Failure to Stop after Accident; Operation of a Motor Vehicle While Prohibited
- Firearms and weapons: Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm; Unauthorized Possession of Prohibited or Restricted Firearm; Unauthorized Possession of a Weapon x2; Carrying a Concealed Weapon; Possession of Prohibited or Restricted Firearm; Possession of Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm; Possession of Prohibited Device or Ammunition for Dangerous Purpose; Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose; Possession of Firearm Knowing Serial Number has been Tampered; Careless Transport of Firearm
- Prohibition order: Possession of Firearm or Ammunition Contrary to Prohibition Order x2
- Drugs: Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine; Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Fentanyl
- Other: Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000; Failure to Comply with Probation Order; Failure to Comply with Release Order
- Also listed: Multiple provincial offences, which the release does not itemise
What Has Not Been Reported
The release describes the drugs only as “quantities of suspected illicit substances” and gives no weights or estimated street value; the charge list names cocaine and fentanyl. The other prohibited weapons are not described, and no next court date has been published.
Timeline
- Friday, October 23, 2026 — shortly after 9:20 a.m.A Thunder Bay Police Service Traffic Unit officer sees a vehicle being driven erratically on Water Street. The driver refuses to stop and the officer does not pursue.
- Friday, October 23, 2026 — a short time laterAfter multiple 911 calls, the vehicle is located after colliding with a tree near Ravenwood Crescent. The driver flees on foot.
- Friday, October 23, 2026 — just before 9:45 a.m.A Thunder Bay Police Service K9 Unit officer locates and arrests a male, who the force says was found in possession of a loaded handgun that had its serial number removed, other prohibited weapons and quantities of suspected illicit substances.
- Friday, October 23, 2026The male is transported to hospital for assessment and later to the Thunder Bay Police Service station.
- Friday, October 23, 2026Terry Allen Pelto, 38, is remanded into custody following an initial court appearance, and the Thunder Bay Police Service publishes the release.
The officer who saw the vehicle on Water Street and did not pursue
Located and arrested a male matching the suspect description
Multiple 911 calls that led officers to the vehicle
Related Files
Sources
- Thunder Bay Police Service, “Man arrested with loaded handgun after flight from police,” October 23, 2026 — for the charges, the arrest and the occurrence number — thunderbaypolice.ca
Terry Allen Pelto is presumed innocent, and none of the charges has been tested in court. The allegations are those of the Thunder Bay Police Service, as published in its release of October 23, 2026. No gang or criminal organization has been named in connection with this case.
