Hamilton police charged a woman with attempted murder after they say she intentionally drove her vehicle into a residential garage where a man was working. This is the detached garage behind house which has been sealed off as a crime scene on Upper James south of White Church Road. – Gary Yokoyama, The Hamilton Spectator
When he turned around, a pickup truck was barrelling toward him, driven, police say, by a 41-year-old woman they describe as his “business acquaintance” in the race car industry.
“She crashed right into the garage at him,” said Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk. “He was able to jump out of the way though.”
Hamilton police have charged Katherine Hurren of Palmer Rapids with attempted murder after the incident, which took place around 2 p.m., just south of White Church Road. Hurren was expected to appear in court Wednesday afternoon.
“We have reasonable grounds to believe that her motive, her intent, was to kill the victim,” Bereziuk said.
The 32-year-old resident of the Glanbrook home — identified by police as Lee Winger — was able to run inside and call police. Police said he suffered “very minor injuries.”
“He virtually walked away unscathed,” said Bereziuk.
Hurren — who was on scene when police arrived — was not injured either, he added.
The two know each other through the race car industry and have had a “business relationship” for more than four years, Bereziuk said.
The victim is an amateur race car driver, and she’s involved in the industry, he noted.
“It had to do with the business of racing and sponsorship,” he said.
Bereziuk declined to say specifically what led to Tuesday’s actions because police continue to investigate, but noted “it was a result of their business relationship.”
“It was literally a strange financial situation and business partnership that has broken down,” he added.
Hurren has become known to police over the last six months but she has not previously been charged, he said.
“There’s been disputes with the two of them in the past,” Bereziuk said, adding previous encounters have not been violent.
Officers from Hamilton police’s forensic and collision reconstruction units were at the scene Wednesday, Bereziuk said.
They did not yet have damage estimates, but he noted there was significant structural damage to the garage, which is detached from the house. A “dune buggy-style race car” parked in the garage was totalled, he added.
Bereziuk stressed there are no public safety concerns after Tuesday’s incident.
“This was a clearly targeted motivated individual that specifically sought him out yesterday afternoon and did what she did,” he said.
The homicide unit continues to investigate. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Det. Andrew Coughlan at 905-546-3874.
To provide information anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your anonymous tips online.
Source: The Hamilton Spectator