10/01/17 Salt Ste. Marie, Can. – Call For Service – Dodge Charger With Anti-theft System Stolen And Crashed Into Utility Pole

October 1, 2017

northernontario.ctvnews.ca

A Sault Ste. Marie man is facing several charges after he allegedly drove off in a police cruiser and crashed it into a utility pole.

In a media release issued on Sunday, the Sault Police Service said a 31-year-old local man has been charged with impaired driving and theft over $5,000.

Police officials said the department is currently conducting an internal investigation to determine if there were any policy breaches and to learn how to prevent it from happening in the future.

Shorty after officers arrived on scene at the 700 block of Second Line West on Saturday at 1 p.m. for a call for service, the man in question got behind the wheel of an unattended police cruiser and drove off, according to police.

“The police vehicle was running and the proximity key that was in the possession of the officer on scene allowed the vehicle to remain running and be driven,” reads a statement from police.

“The accused left the area driving erratically at a high rate of speed. Moments later, the accused struck a concrete driveway culvert and a utility pole in the 600 block of Cooper Street, causing significant damage to the police vehicle.”

Police officials said the man fled the area on foot, before he was taken into custody by officers a short time later.

The 31-year-old has been charged with the following:

One count of Impaired driving,

One count of driving with a blood alcohol level that is over the legal limit,

One count of theft over $5,000,

One count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle,

One count of failure to remain at the scene of a collision,

One count of possession of property obtained by crime; and,

One count of resisting arrest