Police officers injured in Main Street crash with stolen truck; suspect was on bail with driving restrictions By: Chris Kitching Posted: 9:36 AM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 7, 2023 Last Modified: 4:58 PM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 7, 2023 Updates

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A 25-year-old suspect who was arrested after two Winnipeg police officers were seriously injured in a crash with a stolen pickup truck Wednesday was on bail with driving restrictions, the Free Press has learned.

The Interlake man, who was released May 23, was prohibited from being in the driver’s seat of a vehicle without the owner’s consent, after being charged with fleeing police and other offences north of Winnipeg earlier this spring, according to a source and court records.

He was allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen Lincoln Mark LT pickup truck that collided with a police cruiser at Main Street and Belmont Avenue in West Kildonan at about 4 a.m. Wednesday.

A witness, who gave his name as Stephen, said officers approached the truck with their weapons drawn and Tasered the driver, who was sitting in the vehicle and appeared to be “fighting back.”

“They were smashing the windows, trying to get him out,” said Stephen, who was awakened by the sound of the crash.

Officers had spotted the truck near Inkster Boulevard and St. Cross Street, about a kilometre southeast of the crash scene, a short time earlier, said police.

There was no indication of a pursuit.

When the crash happened, other police vehicles in the area were aware of the stolen truck, said spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen.

A source said the truck was stolen Saturday.

Both police officers were taken to hospital. The Free Press learned one of the pair’s injuries were quite significant.

“One in particular, for sure, sustained some serious injuries,” said Michalyshen. “We’re just thankful the injuries to the officers are not life-threatening.”

Jeremy Cull, vice-president of the Winnipeg Police Association, said the union is supporting the officers and hoping they fully recover.

“(The collision) highlights the dangers our members face on a daily basis,” he said.

The suspect was also treated in hospital for his injuries. He remained in custody and had not yet been charged as of Wednesday afternoon.

When he was released on bail last month, the man’s conditions included an order not to visit the RM of Gimli except to attend court.

His bail is connected to several offences alleged to have occurred between March 21 and May 15, including three counts of failing to comply with a probation order (for not reporting to his probation officer), and one count each of break and enter with intent, mischief to a motor vehicle under $5,000, failing to stop or flight from a police officer, dangerous driving and possession of a stolen vehicle.

His probation breaches are tied to a July 4, 2022, conviction for possessing a weapon contrary to a prohibition order, for which he was sentenced to 12 months supervised probation.

Bob Inkster, who lives near the scene of Wednesday’s crash, said he heard a speeding vehicle on Belmont, just east of Main.

He believed it was the truck headed west toward Main.

“It came up Belmont, like ‘vroom, vroom’ — no sirens — and then it was just this loud crash,” he said.

By the time he rushed outside, several police cars were already on scene or arriving.

“They pulled up from all different directions,” said Inkster.

Officers had their weapons drawn and were yelling at the driver to get out while they surrounded the truck, Inkster and other witnesses said.

Inkster and another witness, who wouldn’t give his name, described hearing a “pop.” Inkster believed it was the sound of the Taser being fired.

A woman, who didn’t want her name published, also heard a vehicle passing by homes in Belmont.

“It sounded like a vehicle was speeding and then I heard a screech and a crash,” she said. “There was a lot of commotion, and the police were yelling at this guy to get out of the vehicle. It was scary.”

It appeared the police cruiser, which ended up on the Main Street median, was travelling northbound on Main, based on tire marks and evidence markers within the taped-off scene.

The car’s front end was badly damaged and its airbags deployed during the crash, which happened about two blocks from a police station on Hartford Avenue.

The Lincoln truck, which sustained damage to its driver’s side and lost its back left wheel, also collided with a tree as it came to a stop on the sidewalk alongside Main’s southbound lanes.

A mattress and other items were scattered around the truck.

When the vehicles were removed at about 1 p.m., a towing company employee and a police officer recovered the truck’s missing wheel from the fenced front yard of an apartment building a few metres away.

Main Street was closed in both directions between Hartford and Kilbride avenues for about 10 hours while police investigated the crash.

Members of the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba were also at the scene. The watchdog is tasked with investigating all serious incidents involving police officers, whether occurring on or off duty.

The IIU has asked people with information or video footage to call investigators at 1-844-667-6060.

Police asked anyone with information to call traffic collision investigators at 204-986-7085.

— With files from Dean Pritchard

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching