Pokemon Go player ticketed after running into middle of unlit street
Ottawa police also investigate report of Pokemon Go-related swarming near City Hall
A Pokemon Go player was issued a $30 ticket for walking on a roadway Tuesday night after running into the middle of an unlit street near the community of Carp, Ottawa police say.
The west traffic division then sent out a witty message on social media, serving as a warning for other players of the popular game, which launched in Canada on Sunday.
The game sends players into the real world to search for digital pocket monsters known as Pokemon, who appear on screen when users hold up their smartphones in various locations at various times of the day.
But the west traffic officer manning the division's Twitter account late Tuesday night wasn't having it.
"We got an app4 that," the officer tweeted, with a photo of the application police use to enter tickets into their computer system. "Here's ya ticket Pikachu."
Oblivious 2traffic, middle of road, no street lights <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PokemonGO?src=hash">#PokemonGO</a> . We got an app4 that. Here's ya ticket Pikachu 😡 <a href="https://t.co/emumzMNUnl">pic.twitter.com/emumzMNUnl</a>
—@OPSWestTrafficA young person in their early 20s received the ticket, police said. The incident occurred on Carp Road at about 10:15 p.m.
Ottawa police spokesman Const. Chuck Benoit said Wednesday morning that the Pokemon Go-related ticket is the first he's heard of in Ottawa.
Staff Sgt. Mike Haarbosch, of the Ottawa police robbery unit, then tweeted Wednesday morning that the unit is investigating its first report of a Pokemon Go-related swarming incident near Ottawa City Hall and Lisgar Street, which happened overnight.
RU investigating our first report of a Pokémon related swarming. Overnight near City Hall/Lisgar. Addt'l details later as invest. ongoing.
—@MHaarboschNo other details about the swarming were immediately available.