Chasing down a couple of early morning car thefts nearly had dire consequences for one officer, and has resulted in a slew of charges against one of the alleged thieves.

The incidents got rolling when someone whose Dodge Caravan had just been stolen called the police again to report a woman passed out in a Chevy Trax next to the parking spot vacated by the minivan.  While making the report, a man was seen hopping into the Trax, and it left.

Police say both vehicles had been left running unattended with the keys inside.

About an hour later, general patrol officers happened across both stolen vehicles behind a hotel in the 1000 block of McPhillips Street.  The police cruiser was used to block in the van, but when one of the officers approached its driver in an attempt to arrest him, the driver accelerated in reverse to throw off the officer, who could not get free.  The officer was dragged about 6 metres before falling to the road. 

Luckily, the officer was not seriously injured.

Meanwhile, the driver of the Chevy Trax remained behind its wheel, and officers had to break a window to arrest her.

The stolen van reportedly careened across multiple lanes on McPhillips, crashing at the intersection of Inkster Boulevard and McGregor Street a short time later.  A man was seen fleeing the area, and officers located a suspect in a residential yard a short distance away.  The man had some injuries believed to be from the crash, and was take to hospital.

When the 30-year-old man is released from hospital, he faces charges of:

– assault peace officer with weapon

– flight while pursued by peace officer

– fail to comply with condition of undertaking

– dangerous operation of a conveyance

– possess property obtained by crime over $5,000

The 31-year-old female from the Chevy Trax faces one charge of possessing property obtained by crime over $5,000.   

© News4.ca 2022