Woman stole five-ton truck, struck officer: police

A woman is accused of stealing a five-ton truck, leading police on a highway chase and hitting an officer.

Police were called about a stolen truck from a Winnipeg business on Paramount Road last Thursday at 9:35 a.m., an RCMP news release Tuesday stated.

Officers were able to catch up with the truck, which was travelling southbound on the west Perimeter Highway.

The vehicle eventually came to a stop near the turnoff for Roblin Boulevard.

As Mounties tried to arrest the driver, the truck started moving again, police said, and hit one of the officers. It also caused damage to a parked police car.

The truck fled as Mounties provided first aid to their colleague, RCMP said.

A chase ensued as the truck approached Oak Bluff. Officers tried to use a spike belt but the truck was able to avoid it before it collided with a school bus at the intersection of Highway 2 and Macdonald Road. No students were on the bus.

The driver took off again, police said, and officers lost sight of the vehicle.

A little while later, police got a call about a person walking in a field just southwest of Oak Bluff.

Officers found the person at 11:15 a.m. and determined she was the driver of the stolen truck, police said. She was arrested by Stonewall RCMP without further incident. The truck was later recovered behind a nearby shop.

Tara Kaminski, 42, faces multiple charges including assault of a police officer, operation of a vehicle while impaired by drugs, theft of a motor vehicle over $5,000 and fleeing from police.

The RCMP officer is recovering from injuries at home.

The accused remains in custody.