Speeding ATV in Arviat leaves behind injured passenger

A passenger on a speeding all-terrain vehicle in Arviat suffered injuries July 30 when he fell off an ATV after it hit a rock.

“Alcohol was a factor” in the incident, police said Aug. 4.

Last Saturday evening at about 7:20 p.m., members of the Arviat RCMP detachment responded to a complaint of a driver who was possibly impaired, said a news release from the RCMP.

Police located an ATV driven by a man with two passengers on board.

Police attempted to stop the ATV, but the driver sped off and drove through an intersection, the news release said.

The ATV was then observed to drive off the road striking a large boulder, ejecting one of the passengers, it said.

The ATV driver fled the scene and police took the passenger, who had received “non-life threatening injuries,” to the local health center.

Police found the driver of the ATV a short while later.

Johnny Kaviok, 37, has been charged with fleeing a peace officer, causing bodily harm, failure to remain at the scene, impaired driving and operating a motor vehicle without insurance.

Kavoik is to appear Oct. 24 before the Nunavut Court of Justice in Arviat.

The July 30 incident prompted the RCMP to issue another reminder to Nunavummiut that all ATVs must be licenced and insured when operated on the roads within communities, and that drivers must obey all traffic signs and watch for pedestrians.

Also last month, an ATV in Arviat hit, then left a pedestrian.