Man arrested after carjacking seriously injures officer in Whitby

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Published April 14, 2023 at 2:13 pm

A man has been arrested after multiple run-ins with police in Whitby and Toronto, including one that seriously injured a Durham Regional Police officer.

At about 11:40 p.m. on Monday, offers were patrolling the area of Consumers Drive and Garden Street in Whitby when they located a stolen vehicle that had reportedly been involved in a carjacking in Brampton.

When officers attempted to block the vehicle in, the suspect rammed two police cruisers in an attempt to escape.

“The suspect vehicle pinned one of the officers exiting their vehicle before fleeing. A short pursuit was initiated, but quickly discontinued out of concerns for public safety,” said police.

The officer suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Police say the vehicle was later found abandoned in a nearby area.

Shortly after at 12:15 a.m., officers were dispatched to a carjacking in the area of Lowder Place and Bellwood Drive, in which it’s believed the same suspect approached a couple returning to their home, then brandished a knife and stole their vehicle.

“When the victims attempted to intervene, the suspect rammed the vehicle into their residence and other vehicles,” police said.

Police located the suspect. The suspect drove head-on at the officer and rammed their cruiser, but the officer was not injured.

A pursuit was initiated and stopped due to the dangerous driving of the suspect, who fled westbound on Hwy. 401.

An arrest warrant was issued, and following a collaborative effort between Durham police, York Regional Police, Toronto Police Service and AIR2, the male was arrested on Thursday, April 13 in Toronto.

The province’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has invoked its mandate due to the suspect having been injured on Thursday. The cause of injury has not been confirmed at this time.

A 33-year-old man of no fixed address is charged with 36 offences, including aggravated assault on a peace officer, assaulting peace officer with weapon, dangerous operation – bodily harm, and robbery with violence or threat of violence.

He is facing an additional 27 charges from Thursday’s events, including dangerous operation causing bodily harm, theft of motor vehicle, and flight from police.

His name is not being released at this time due to the ongoing SIU investigation.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

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