Spike belt ends nearly two-hour-long police chase

OPP NEWS RELEASE

************************* Vehicle pursuit involves numerous police servcies

No injuries reported

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - At approximately 9:30 a.m. this morning a light grey Chrysler four-door vehicle was observed on Highway 17 by Wawa OPP travelling southbound at a high rate of speed.

The vehicle could not be located initially by officers.

While officers were keeping observation for the vehicle a traffic complaint was received about a vehicle matching the same description travelling southbound on Highway 17.

At 10:20 a.m. the vehicle was locked on radar at an alleged speed of 142 km/hr south of Chippewa Falls by a Sault Ste. Marie OPP officer.

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, activating all cruiser lights and siren.

The vehicle would not pull over and a police pursuit was initiated.

The pursuit was called off by Havilland Township for public safety reasons.

The vehicle was located by Sault Ste. Marie Police Service travelling southbound on Great Northern Road.

A spike belt was deployed north of Fourth Line on Great Northern Road.

The suspect vehicle evaded this spike belt by driving onto the side of the roadway failing to stop for police.

At this point the City police called off the pursuit for public safety reasons.

Shortly thereafter the suspect vehicle was involved in a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Great Northern Road and Second Line.

No injuries are reported in that collision.

The vehicle proceeded down Northern Avenue out towards Trunk Road continuing eastbound on Highway 17 through Highway 17B, Garden River and Echo Bay area back onto the eastbound four lanes.

A spike belt was utilized at Centre Line Road by Thessalon OPP officers.

The suspect vehicle managed to evade this spike belt.

At 11:16 a.m. a spike belt was then utilized one kilomentre west of Bruce Mines.

At this point the vehicle became disabled and stopped.

One 26-year-old old male was arrested and taken into police custody without incident.

The investigation is continuing.

The Wawa OPP, Sault Ste. Marie OPP, Thessalon OPP, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, Batchewana Police Service and Anishnabek Police Service all assisted in this incident.

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