Just after 6 a.m. on June 15, officers of the Lennox & Addington OPP were dispatched to a report of a sedan travelling in an erratic manner at very high speeds eastbound on Hwy 401 in Greater Napanee.
Officers located the vehicle still travelling at very high speeds and determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen from Peterborough earlier that morning. Police attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver refused to yield and fled eastbound. Because of the public safety risk, police discontinued the pursuit.
A short time later, the vehicle was observed by other officers in Loyalist Township. The vehicle exited the highway at County Rd 4 and an officer was able to safely deploy a tire deflation device in the path of the suspect vehicle. The vehicle was forced to come to a halt a short distance later because of flat tires. The driver fled the vehicle on foot and was apprehended a short time later by police with the assistance of local residents – one of whom was an off-duty OPP officer.
A 25 year-old from Keene, Ontario, was arrested at the scene and has been charged with:
- Three counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000;
- Possession of stolen property over $5,000;
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle;
- Flight from a police officer
- Driving a motor vehicle with cannabis readily available
- Stunt driving
The accused was held in custody and appeared in a bail hearing via video at the Ontario Court of Justice in Napanee.