CALGARY — Police in Calgary say they believe a man was high on drugs when he drove a stolen cube van erratically around the city and damaged at least 10 vehicles.
Officers were called at about 4:30 a.m. after a U-Haul crashed into another vehicle in the city’s southeast and fled.
Police received multiple calls reporting the van speeding, running red lights and driving into oncoming traffic.
Staff Sgt. Mark England says five police vehicles were damaged when officers tried to stop it.
At least five civilian vehicles were hit, but England says he expects that number to grow as the investigation continues.
The man, who is known to police, was arrested two hours later and was being held in custody pending charges.
“The officers were fortunate and were not seriously injured, but it’s always very serious when a driver runs into police vehicles instead of stopping,” England said Thursday.
Earlier, Det. Paul Teworte said some officers were shaken up and needed to be checked at hospital.
England added there is no evidence the driver was trying to hurt anyone, but that the collisions were the result of him evading police.
“Any time we have a vehicle driving in a dangerous manner in this fashion, it puts lives at risk for both the public and our officers.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2019.
The Canadian Press