Insane Throttle News | November 1, 2026

Ontario Provincial Police have charged three men after a vehicle that fled a traffic stop in Bancroft was later tied to a shooting that damaged a business associated with the Satan’s Choice Motorcycle Club. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of October 23, 2026. No one was injured. Officers seized a handgun and other items during the investigation.

Shortly after 3:00 a.m. on October 23, a Bancroft OPP officer saw a vehicle traveling at high speed on Monck Street and tried to stop it. The driver did not pull over and fled. Bancroft officers, with help from Peterborough County OPP, later located the vehicle and stopped it on Highway 28 in Apsley. The three occupants were arrested. Investigators determined the vehicle and the people inside were connected to a shooting that took place around the same time at a business in Bancroft linked to Satan’s Choice. The shots damaged the building.

Preston Kowalchuk, 48, of Toronto, faces multiple charges that include possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, use of a firearm while committing an offence, discharging a firearm into or at a place in a reckless manner, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited device or ammunition, careless use of a firearm, being an occupant of a motor vehicle knowing a firearm was present, mischief under $5,000, flight from a peace officer, dangerous operation, and possession of a firearm or prohibited weapon contrary to a prohibition order.

Nicholas Mourtzis, 29, of Toronto, is charged with most of the same offenses, including possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, firearm use while committing an offence, reckless discharge, unauthorized possession, mischief, flight, and dangerous operation. Jacob Sirett, 39, of Niagara Falls, faces the core set of firearm and vehicle charges plus having care or control of a vehicle with cannabis readily available and performing a stunt by excessive speed.

The investigation is being handled by Bancroft OPP with assistance from the OPP Forensic Identification Services Unit and the OPP-led Biker Enforcement Unit. Anyone with information, including video, is asked to contact Bancroft OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

OPP Staff Sergeant Trevor Pitts, Bancroft Detachment Commander, said the arrests reflected swift action by officers. “Violence and the reckless use of firearms have no place in our communities, and we remain committed to identifying and apprehending those responsible while continuing to ensure public safety.” Detective Staff Sergeant Gerrit Brouwer of the Biker Enforcement Unit added that police are aware of ongoing tensions between outlaw motorcycle gangs and continue to monitor the situation. “The OPP’s Biker Enforcement Unit actively investigates criminal activity linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs across the province. The unit remains focused on proactively identifying, investigating and disrupting criminal activity associated with these groups.”

Satan’s Choice was revived last year under Harley Guindon, a former Hells Angel. The club has opened chapters across Canada, including in British Columbia, and has emphasized charity work alongside its presence on the road. It has also been involved in recent incidents that drew attention from biker enforcement units, including a clash in Woodstock, Ontario, earlier in October in which Outlaws members confronted two Satan’s Choice members and took their vests. Guindon described that incident as a personal beef. The Bancroft shooting is the latest event involving a location tied to the club since the revival. Police have not publicly detailed the exact nature of the “associated” business or the specific reason shots were fired at it. They have stated there is no ongoing threat to public safety from the incident itself.

The three men are from the Toronto and Niagara Falls areas. Their charges include both firearms offenses and flight from police, which aligns with the sequence of a high-speed departure from Bancroft followed by a stop farther south on Highway 28. The presence of a prohibition order violation on Kowalchuk’s charge list indicates he was already restricted from possessing firearms. The case remains open. The Biker Enforcement Unit’s involvement signals that investigators are treating the shooting in the context of broader outlaw motorcycle club activity in the province rather than as an isolated property crime.

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