A long and involved high-speed chase through several communities and areas, in which several vehicles were stolen by a male suspect and driven dangerously and erratically with disregard for public safety, finally ended in the mid-morning hours of Thursday with a foot chase and struggle along Spadina Crescent East. A 37-year-old man has assorted charges pending against him.
He was first spotted at 8:40 a.m. Thursday morning driving at a high rate of speed north out of Saskatoon. The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) had received a report of an Audi S4 that had been stolen from the area of Circle Drive West and Avenue C North around that time. Officers on the ground didn’t engage the speeding vehicle, but strategically positioned themselves to observe its movements, with assistance from the Air Support Unit.
Police say the Audi S4 drove at dangerous speeds towards Langham, then the suspects abandoned the Audi and stole a Hyundai Tucson. From there, the stolen vehicle sped east towards Dalmeny and eventually into Warman where the Hyundai was abandoned, and a Dodge Ram 3500 truck was stolen.
The suspect re-entered Saskatoon from the north before striking a civilian vehicle at the intersection of 71st Street East and Wanuskewin Road then proceeded through the security gates of the Silverwood Golf Course and continued south through an adjacent park before exiting east onto Adilman Drive and south onto the Meewasin Trail.
A police vehicle was used to disable the suspect vehicle on Capilano Court after it had been driving erratically through residential streets and parks, traveling in oncoming lanes of traffic and through parks and ditches. The stolen Dodge Ram 3500 came to a stop in bushes down an embankment near Capilano Court. The suspect fled the heavily damaged truck along Spadina Crescent East where he encountered officers.
After a short foot pursuit, members of SPS reached the man and an altercation took place. During this struggle, the man and several members of SPS fell down a second embankment. The man was taken into custody and transported to SPS detention where he complained of pain. He was transported to hospital where it was determined that he had sustained an injury. SIRT was notified, and a final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.
