A quiet Sarnia neighborhood was shattered Saturday when a dispute escalated into a violent attack, leaving one man critically injured. The initial call came shortly after midnight, reporting a disturbance between two men – a 21-year-old and a 40-year-old – on Afton Drive.
The situation quickly spiraled out of control when the younger man allegedly drove a red Mitsubishi SUV onto the older man’s lawn, deliberately damaging an e-bike. He then reportedly left the vehicle, armed with a metal pipe, before fleeing the scene, leaving investigators searching for answers.
Police initially laid charges of dangerous driving, mischief, and breach of bail, but the suspect remained at large. The search intensified, however, as the day progressed and a far more disturbing incident unfolded in the same area.
Just before 2:00 p.m., emergency services received a frantic call: a man had been struck by a vehicle. Arriving officers found a victim suffering from severe injuries, the scene grim and urgent.
Disturbing video footage revealed the horrifying details. A red Mitsubishi SUV, matching the description from the earlier incident, was seen reversing aggressively, striking the man, and then running over him. The vehicle didn’t stop there – it paused, then moved forward to run over him again before speeding away.
The victim was immediately transported to the hospital for emergency treatment, his condition initially critical. While now listed as stable, the full extent of his injuries remains unknown, a stark reminder of the brutality of the attack.
The investigation was swiftly taken over by the Criminal Investigations Division, recognizing the gravity of the situation. Evidence quickly led to the identification of a suspect: Hayden Leitch-Forte, 21, of Sarnia.
Leitch-Forte now faces the devastating charge of attempted murder, alongside previous charges of dangerous driving, mischief, and breaching bail. He is currently being held in custody, awaiting a bail hearing as the community grapples with the shocking events that unfolded.
