Crime: 1)Barrie Police renew appeal in 2005 murder of April Dobson, reward reaches $100K; 2)Barrie police nab driver clocked at 103 km/h on Essa Road; 3)Jaywalking stop by police leads to drug charges against Barrie man; 4)SIU rule against charging OPP officers after man sustained broken kneecap during Alliston arrest; 5)Crash in Springwater leads to drug bust, two arrested; 6)Police charged the suspects, a 21-year-old from Clearview Township and a 24 year-old from Ajax with multiple drug offences; 7)Commercial vehicle operator clocked 43 km/h over posted speed limit charged by Orillia OPP; 8)Drugs, ATMs seized in Barrie Police raids on unlicensed dispensaries downtown

1)Barrie Police renew appeal in 2005 murder of April Dobson, reward reaches $100K

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, May 11, 2026

Barrie Police cruiser outside headquarters as investigators continue work on the unsolved April Dobson homicide case.

Barrie police have increased the reward money for any details that lead to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder of April Dobson on Oct. 14, 2005. (Image provided by Barrie Police Service)

More than 20 years after the murder of April Dobson, Barrie Police are once again asking the public for help — and the reward for information has now climbed to $100,000.

Dobson, a 40-year-old mother, was shot and killed on the front porch of a friend’s home on Browning Trail on Oct. 14, 2005.

Barrie Police say detectives believe someone out there knows what happened.

Investigators are asking anyone who was in the Browning Trail or Bronte Crescent area the night of the shooting to come forward if they saw anything suspicious or remember someone acting strangely around that time.

Police are also still trying to identify and speak with a young man seen leaving the area on a mountain-style bicycle shortly after the shooting. Detectives believe this individual could hold important details. They are asking anyone who may have seen him or knows him to contact investigators.

“This case has remained unsolved for far too long, and April’s family deserves answers,” said Sgt. Brett Carleton of the Barrie Police Major Crime/Homicide Unit. “Our commitment to solving this case has never wavered. We are considering all possibilities when looking at who may have been involved, and this has remained an active investigation. If you have information that might help us, finally bring closure to a family who has been living with unanswered questions for far too long – please speak up.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Barrie Police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

2)Barrie police nab driver clocked at 103 km/h on Essa Road

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, May 11, 2026

A motorist is facing a stunt driving charge after police say they were caught travelling more than 40 kilometres over the speed limit on Essa Road.

Police say the driver was stopped on Friday around 3 pm., after allegedly travelling 103 km/h in a posted 60 zone between Salem Road and County Road 27.

The driver received a 30-day licence suspension, and their vehicle was impounded for 14 days.

3)Jaywalking stop by police leads to drug charges against Barrie man

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, May 8, 2026

Barrie police arrest man after warrant check leads to cocaine and meth discovery downtown

Jaywalking near Wellington and Bayfield Streets in Barrie proved to be the undoing for a 36-year-old man.

On Thursday afternoon, police say an officer saw the pedestrian trying to cross the road without using a crosswalk, causing vehicles to halt as he tried to avoid oncoming traffic.

When the officer tried to speak with him, the man began to jog into a nearby parking lot, but was ordered to stop. When the man turned around, the officer recognized him as having an outstanding warrant.

During the arrest, police say officers spotted a golf ball-sized quantity of cocaine that was allegedly in his sweater pocket. A search also turned up suspected methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and cash.

The Barrie resident was charged with multiple drug offences, one count of a pedestrian failing to use a crosswalk, and two counts of breach of probation.

The investigation is ongoing.

4)SIU rule against charging OPP officers after man sustained broken kneecap during Alliston arrest

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Julius Hern, May 8, 2026

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) have ruled not to issue charges against Nottawasaga OPP officers in relation to a man’s broken kneecap sustained during an arrest in Alliston on November 17, 2024.

Just before 9 p.m. that evening, a superintendent of a building at Young Street and King Street South had called 911 to report a domestic dispute between a husband and wife after hearing yelling, doors slamming, and children screaming.

Upon arrival to the basement residence, officers arrested a 42-year-old man on three counts of uttering threats and two counts of assault, according to the director’s report.

However, as he was being escorted out of the building by two officers, he reportedly began to walk quickly and disobeyed police demands to slow down. As they reached the parking lot, one officer yanked on the man’s left arm from behind to slow him down and change trajectory towards a police cruiser.

“That tactic, in my view, was reasonable and executed with appropriate force, SIU director Joseph Martino wrote in his report.

The man was jerked backwards, but restarted his forward progress until the officer repeated his pullback. That caused the man to fall to the ground, with his knee hitting a sewer grate in the process, causing a fracture.

Martino said that the man offered a story in which he was kicked in the back of the knee, causing him to go down, but video evidence reviewed refutes that claim.

“If true, that account would give rise to legitimate concerns about unwarranted force given the Complainant’s vulnerable situation at the time,” he wrote.

The director’s report indicates that paramedics arrived on scene at 9:12 p.m. and, within four minutes, the arrestee was placed on a stretcher with police assistance before being brought to hospital.

SIU officials were dispatched to the scene the following morning. One of the two officers was eventually interviewed for the investigation, while both of them declined to provide their notes, as is their right.

Among the evidence reviewed in the investigation was video footage from the apartment building; interviews from five witnesses, as well as one officer and the complainant; and other OPP communications recordings.

“I am unable to reasonably conclude that the evidence of unlawful force by [the officer] is sufficiently cogent to warrant being put to the test by a court,” Martino wrote in his decision, also saying that a second officer’s conduct also fell short of justifying criminal charges.

5)Crash in Springwater leads to drug bust, two arrested

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, May 11, 2026

Two people are facing charges after a single-vehicle crash in Springwater Township led police to an alleged drug seizure.

Ontario Provincial Police say officers responded to a crash on Luella Boulevard, in the area of Wilson Drive and Horseshoe Valley Road just after 11:30 Sunday night.

During the investigation, police arrested two occupants of the vehicle and seized a quantity of suspected cocaine along with other drugs.

6)Police charged the suspects, a 21-year-old from Clearview Township and a 24 year-old from Ajax with multiple drug offences.

Both were held for a bail hearing.

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, May 12, 2026

Three men are facing charges after an alleged attempted robbery tied to a motorcycle sale in Barrie’s south end.

Police say the victim arranged to meet a potential buyer near Mapleview Drive and Essa Road in an industrial area on Thursday, May 7, 2026. When the victim and his friend arrived, police say the suspects boxed them in and tried to remove them from their vehicle.

The victim managed to flee and drove to police headquarters for help.

Investigators located the suspect vehicle as it attempted to enter the Highway 400 southbound ramp at Mapleview Drive.

Three men were arrested, a 25-year-old from Barrie and two Brampton men, aged 31 and 35.

All three are charged with attempted robbery.

“Barrie Police remind members of the public to use extreme caution when conducting private sales transactions. Meet in a public place during daylight hours, bring someone with you, and be aware of your surroundings. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, leave the area. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is,” police said in a news release.

Published May 12, 2026

7)Commercial vehicle operator clocked 43 km/h over posted speed limit charged by Orillia OPP

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, May 12, 2026

Orillia OPP have charged the driver of a commercial motor vehicle with stunt driving.

Police say the vehicle was clocked traveling 103 km/h in a 60-zone on County Road 47 near Sideroad 5 in Ramara Township on Monday.

The 31-year-old driver from Brampton was charged.

The vehicle was impounded for 14 days and his driver’s licence was suspended for 30 days.

8)Drugs, ATMs seized in Barrie Police raids on unlicensed dispensaries downtown

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, May 14, 2026

Barrie Police seized about $100,000 in drugs and paraphernalia on Wednesday afternoon during search warrants executed on three separate businesses downtown.

A police communications spokesperson tells Barrie 360 this was part of an investigation into unlicensed magic mushroom and cannabis shops.

It’s alleged the shops were selling mushroom products, illegal marijuana, and LSD.

Three people were arrested and charged with drug-related offences, then released.

The spokesperson added that police also seized ATMs and other electronic products as proceeds of crime.

The investigation is continuing.