Sometimes a Saturday night in London’s east end gets a little too eventful, and this past weekend was definitely one of those times. A 43-year-old man from Rodney found himself in some serious hot water after what started as a regular evening turned into a collision with a tree, a front porch, and eventually the long arm of the law.

The drama unfolded on Saturday, June 7th, when someone called 9-1-1 after witnessing a vehicle slam into both a tree and the front porch of a house near Stedwell Street and Chesley Avenue. But here’s where things get interesting – instead of sticking around to deal with the mess, the driver decided to make a run for it.

Plot twist: the escape attempt didn’t exactly go according to plan. London Police Service officers managed to track down the vehicle just a short distance away, where it had come to an abrupt stop thanks to the extensive damage from that initial collision. Turns out, when you crash into a tree and a porch, your car doesn’t really want to cooperate with your getaway plans.

The driver was arrested on the spot, and thankfully, nobody got hurt during this whole ordeal. But the legal consequences? Well, that’s a different story entirely.

Aaron Coglin Welch now faces a pretty hefty list of charges that reads like a “what not to do while driving” checklist. We’re talking impaired operation of a conveyance, impaired exceed blood alcohol concentration, fail to stop at scene of an accident, fail to stop for police, and dangerous operation. That’s quite the Saturday night achievement list, though probably not the kind anyone wants on their record.

The whole incident serves as a reminder that London’s east end has seen its fair share of drama lately, and this particular case had all the elements of a cautionary tale wrapped up in one evening. From the initial collision to the failed escape attempt, it’s the kind of story that makes you shake your head and wonder what was going through the driver’s mind.

The accused is scheduled to make his court appearance on July 24, 2025, where he’ll have to face the music for that eventful Saturday night. The London Police Service has released the full details of the incident for anyone wanting to dive deeper into the specifics.

If anyone has additional information about what went down that night, London Police Service is asking them to call (519) 661-5670 or reach out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You can also submit tips online anonymously through London Middlesex Crime Stoppers.