A driver left a trail of carnage Friday afternoon as the male suspect snaked his way through Barrie city streets and then rural roads in the countryside before being stopped and arrested in Orillia about 30 kilometres away.
Barrie police received a call at 1:19 p.m. about a van being driven erratically down Grove Street in the city’s northeast end.
The full-size white van then made its way through northwest Barrie and into Springwater Township, leading to what Barrie police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon described as a “path of destruction.”
Barrie police pursued the van into Springwater and when they thought they had the driver cornered, an officer who had attempted to open the vehicle's door got his hand stuck and was dragged while the driver sped off again.
The officer was later taken to local hospital, examined and released with no serious injuries.
After the officer was able to free himself, the van headed across Sunnidale Road to Anne Street and eventually made its way to Blake Street where the driver connected onto Penetanguishene Road heading toward Napoleon Road, just outside the Barrie city limits.
At 1:38 p.m., Orillia OPP officers responded to a call for theft of gas on Highway 11 in Gasoline Alley in Oro-Medonte Township.
Provincial police located and attempted to stop the suspect vehicle, with negative results.
The van continued north on Highway 11, colliding with numerous vehicles, before it was eventually stopped by provincial police near OPP General Headquarters around 3 p.m. The driver was placed in custody and taken to a local hospital.
Orillia OPP Const. Scott Williams said the suspect is a 37-year-old Barrie man.
Charges are pending and the man remains in hospital.
The suspect also allegedly tried to attack police officers with a saw and a tire iron, Williams said.
Leon said city police are still surveying the damage and determining criminal charges for what transpired in Barrie.
“There are upwards of 10 fail-to-remain charges in the city and a number of speeding charges,” he said Friday evening. “This was all at a time when school buses were getting ready to pick up kids and people were getting off work.
“It was a recipe for disaster that was averted because of great police work," Leon added. "He was not going to stop for anything, that was evident to our officers.”
One officer Leon spoke to said it was the worst case of erratic driving they had seen in their 16-year career.
No information has been released about the accused, who was placed in custody and taken to Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital.
Several officers sustained minor injuries and were also taken to hospital as a precaution.
Motorists involved in the collisions on Highway 11 have been asked to report to a Collision Reporting Centre.
Witnesses and anyone who may have dash-cam footage of the incident are asked to contact Orillia OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
— with files from Raymond Bowe
