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Man faces slew of charges after elderly passenger forced from stolen vehicle

Barrie police say vehicle owner had stopped at a Bayfield Street restaurant when the accused jumped into the SUV; Vehicle fled from officers and later crashed on Lakeshore Drive
StolenCarCrash-Lakeshore-Jan12-2022-6
Barrie police investigate Wednesday afternoon following a crash involving a stolen vehicle.

NEWS RELEASE
BARRIE POLICE SERVICE
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On Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, at 3:46 p.m., the Barrie Police Service was contacted after a motor vehicle was violently stolen from a restaurant parking lot located on Bayfield Street.

The owners of the motor vehicle had just stopped at the Bayfield Street fast-food restaurant, which is just north of Coulter Street, when an unknown male approached the mid-sized sport utility vehicle.

As the male driver entered the restaurant, the unknown male jumped into the SUV and forced an elderly female passenger who had remained with the vehicle out of it. The vehicle sped away and responding officers attended to the Bayfield Street restaurant where details of the theft were obtained and a search for the stolen SUV and the suspect responsible was commenced.

Police in the area observed the SUV travelling eastbound on Park Street and activated their emergency equipment in an attempt to have the driver pullover and stop.

The driver of the SUV failed to do so and continued southbound on Toronto Street at a high rate of speed having no regard for traffic signals that controlled a number of downtown intersections. The dangerous manner in which the SUV was being driven caused police to deactivate their emergency equipment and follow the vehicle at a safe distance.

As the SUV continued on Toronto Street, it failed to stop for a red light at Simcoe Street and proceeded southbound, where it struck the rear of another southbound vehicle. The stolen SUV skidded across the centre median and when it came to a stop, the driver attempted to flee on foot only to be apprehended at 3:59 p.m. a short distance away by police.

The driver, a 27-year old male with no fixed address, was transported to Barrie Police Headquarters for further investigation while members of the Barrie Police Traffic Unit conducted the on scene collision investigation which closed Lakeshore Drive between Toronto and Victoria Streets until shortly after 8:30 p.m.

The driver is currently facing criminal charges which include:

  • Robbery, contrary to Section 344 (1) (b), Criminal Code of Canada
  • Flight from Police, contrary to Section 320.17, Criminal Code of Canada
  • Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle, contrary to Section 320.13 (1), Criminal Code of Canada
  • Drive while Prohibited, contrary to Section 320.18(1)(a), Criminal Code of Canada
  • Fail to Comply -Release Order, contrary to Section 145 (5)(a), Criminal Code of Canada
  • Fail to Comply with Probation (3 counts), contrary to Section 733.1(1), Criminal Code of Canada

The accused has been held in custody and is scheduled to appear today, by video, for a bail hearing.

The Barrie Police Service is grateful that the female passenger who was forced from her motor vehicle when it was stolen was not seriously injured and that the driver of the other motor vehicle involved in the Toronto St. collision which concluded this potentially life-threatening incident was not seriously injured, either.

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