U.S. driver makes wrong turn to Canadian border, gets arrested for unlawfully possessing a gun

A bird of prey flies near the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge connecting Niagara Falls, Ont. and Niagara Falls N.Y. on the day of the re-opening of the U.S border on Monday, November 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

A 62-year-old man from the U.S., who took a wrong turn to the Canadian border thanks to his GPS device, is now facing a firearms-related charge.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers said the commercial truck driver was trying to make his way toward Michigan with a commercial shipment on Sunday, but was led astray and "inadvertently" ended up at the Canadian border.

• Download our app to get alerts on your device

The border patrol agency said the driver lacked the required paperwork to travel through Canada and was asked to turn back to the U.S., where he declared possession of a firearm.

CBP said the driver was escorted for a secondary examination, which is when officers found a Hi-Point C9 semi-automatic 9mm pistol along with 40 rounds of ammunition.

Through the investigation, officers said they determined the Louisiana-based driver was unlawfully carrying the firearm due to prior felony convictions, prohibiting him from possessing one.

Police said the driver – who was not identified – was brought into custody, and was later turned over to the New York State Police. He has been charged for criminal possession of a weapon, they add.

"Our CBP Officers maintain their vigilance while screening travellers entering the United States," Area Port Director Gaetano Cordone said in Monday's release.

"Together with our State and Local partners, we were successful in arresting this felon and removing a firearm off our streets."