Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 31, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba a4 Winnipeg free press thursday August 31, 2006 top news stolen Sun slams Van pedestrian Chase was called off before crashes police maintain by Jason Bell a stolen Sun that had been chased by police raced through Down town Winnipeg yesterday blow ing through a red Light to boning a medical transportation Van and strik ing an elderly pedestrian a Block away. The police Pursuit had been called off about four Kilometres before the newer Black Ford explorer crashed into the Van on Broadway veered South and Only moments later skidded into a pedestrian at Maryland Street and Sara Avenue about 10 . Witnesses said the vehicle then slammed into a Large Elm tree and the Driver jumped out. He was chased on foot by several uni formed officers and arrested a Short time later in a parking lot on Sherbrook Street. Fortunately officers tried none of the injuries were to Stop the considered Seri vehicle by Ous. Throwing Down police spokesman sgt. Spike belts no Kelly Dennison fewer than said officers began a Short three times Chase after the but the Driver vehicle was first swerved spotted not far from the Airport around them but the Pursuit was halted on ferry Road ? Well before the Sun was involved in the two Colli Sions. It want a Pursuit from Start to Fin ish he said. Our officers were trying to follow this stolen vehicle to determine what general area of the City it was headed to. At that Point when the suspect identifies that he a being followed he a obviously not going to Stop and he picks up his Speed driving very erratically. Our officers then attempt to Stop him and at that Point in time it is a Pursuit. It was a very Short Pursuit that happened in that time police got a line on the stolen Sun heading East on Portage Avenue a Short time later and Cruiser cars flooded the downtown area. Officers tried to Stop the vehicle by throwing Down Spike belts no fewer than three times but the Driver swerved around them. This Guy drives onto the sidewalks and onto the boulevards said Dennison adding the last attempt to slow the vehicle was made on Broadway just before the Sun crashed into a Van. Its the second time in two weeks an innocent person has been injured while a suspect attempted to evade police. On aug. 8, a suspected drunk Driver crashed into another vehicle at the inter Section of Lagimodiere Boulevard and Grassie Boulevard. An 18-year-old woman remains in Crit ical condition. Police maintain they weren to chasing the vehicle that night and were following at a Safe distance. Yesterday morning Dennison said officers were following the same tack on ferry Road. But they started a Pur suit when it became apparent the Driver realized he was being tailed sped up and starting weaving in and out of traffic. Speeds got up to about 100 Kilometres an hour before the Pursuit was called off. Its a constant struggle and it happens daily Here in Winnipeg said Dennison. For us we re better off not to pursue somebody if we Are going to get into areas that Are highly populated. To risk pushing an individual to the Point where he drives in such a manner that he could cause injury to someone is something we Don to want to Theresa and her daughter who did not want their last names published were sitting on their Steps when they were startled by the sound of squealing tires. They looked up just in time to see the explorer clip a pedestrian crossing Sara Avenue and then slam into a huge Elm tree on the Corner of Sara and Maryland. He was past the Street and he thought he could turn but he was also going too fast Theresa said. So when he turned of course he did to make the Street. And there was a pedestrian crossing and he was just about at the sidewalk when the truck hit him. The Guy was Reading the paper. He flew to where the papers Are lying near the tree that the truck police said the pedestrian an elderly Man was taken to Hospital and was listed in stable condition. Theresa said a Man scrambled from the damaged vehicle and sprinted East toward Sherbrook with uniformed police right behind. Mayor Sam Katz who a making crime reduction a major Plank in his re elec Tion Campaign said he a looking Forward to crime fighting initiatives promised by the Federal conservative govern ment. In the meantime he said Winnipeg police have both the ability and the Means to Stem the tide of car theft utilizing the likes of bait cars and other strategies. I a not Happy with the title of car theft capital of Canada. When i stepped into office we were also the murder capital of Canada and neither of the titles Are something to be proud of Katz said. We re no longer the murder capital and we can to continue to be the car theft capital. We will not stand for meanwhile Brian Yah Olkoski owner of medi Van transportation specialists said two Stretcher attendants were in the Van at the time of the crash at Broad Way and Maryland. The male Driver was uninjured while his female partner went to the Hospital As a precaution but was later released. ? with files from Bartley Kives policy outlines when chases should be halted. The increase in Auto thefts in the past decade has resulted in an increase in police chases. In most chases police believe a criminal offence has taken place and a suspect is trying to get away. Police will also try to pull Over someone who has run a red Light. In the past few years police have also initiated chases when a patrol car is intentionally rammed by stolen car. Officers in the car remain in con Stant radio Contact with a senior officer when a Chase starts relay ing traffic Road and weather conditions. If too Many cars Are on the Road a senior officer or officers in cars can Call the Chase off because of safety risk. About one third of chases Are called off this Way. According to recent police data the average Chase lasts less than three minutes and covers a Dis Tance of about four Kilometres. The average Speed in a Chase is about 90 pm a. There Are More than 100 chases each year on City streets. Police will also direct other patrol cars to get ahead of Pursuit laying Down Spike Sticks to blow the tires of the suspects car. Police say the Chase policy bal ances the need to catch criminals with the Issue of safety for both police and the Public. All chases Are later reviewed by a police committee. No one likes a Chase a police officer said. No one wants to see a car wrapped around a stolen vehicles involved in crashes there have been several other crashes involving stolen vehicles in Winnipeg this summer . June 27, a stolen jeep grand Cherokee hit a car at Salter Street and Burrows Avenue slightly injuring one person in the other car. Hours later a stolen minivan being chased by police crashed into a tree on Arlington Street injuring four boys. . June 29, a Street race Between a minivan and a stolen car ended suddenly when the car veered out of control and smashed into a a fire hydrant and then crashed into the front step of a Kil Darroch Street House. A 16-year-old girl in the Van was injured. . July 21, there was another Dou ble crash. Two stolen sums smashed into other cars in the City a downtown. police were following a stolen Hummer h2 with Ontario licence plates when they saw a red Jimmy that had just been stolen from the Forks smash into a Buick on the Corner of Corydon Avenue and Oxford Street. The Driver in the Jimmy jumped into the Hummer. It took off with police in Pursuit. It narrowly missed several workers in the parking lot of a Sherbrook Street business before it too crashed. The innovators of Comfort ;