A high-speed chase involving a stolen truck resulted in serious injuries and multiple charges against two Winnipeg teens on Saturday night.
The Winnipeg Police Service says in a release that the incident began at 7:45 p.m. on Sept. 14, when a citizen spotted a male and female stealing his 2023 Ford F150 in the 800 block of Dudley Avenue.
The vehicle’s owner, along with a friend, attempted to intervene by jumping into the box of the truck and immediately calling 911. However, the two youth suspects fled the area, driving erratically and at dangerous speeds, with the owner and his friend still in the back of the vehicle.
As the truck sped through Winnipeg, police began tracking its movements based on real-time updates from the owner inside the truck’s box. Police say that despite attempts to jump out, the erratic driving and extreme speeds made it impossible for the owner and his friend to escape safely.
Police tried to stop the truck by deploying a tire deflation device near Brandon Avenue and Osborne Street. However, the suspects continued westbound, and the truck collided with an unmarked Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) canine unit travelling northbound on Osborne.
The force of the crash ejected both the truck’s owner and his friend from the vehicle, resulting in serious injuries. They were taken to hospital, where they were admitted for treatment. The male officer driving the canine unit also sustained injuries and was treated and released from the hospital. The WPS says the police dog in the vehicle was unharmed.
The two youth suspects were arrested near the scene of the crash. They were taken to hospital with minor injuries, treated, and then released.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects and the victims knew each other before the theft.
A 17-year-old male from Winnipeg now faces several charges, including two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm; operation of a conveyance while impaired to any degree by BAC or drug or a combination of both; failing to stop at the scene of an accident; and theft over $5,000. He remains in custody.
A 15-year-old female suspect was also charged with theft over $5,000 and has been released on an undertaking, as required by the Criminal Code.
The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) has taken over the case, and further inquiries will be directed to them.