Suspended driver on probation crashes into police vehicles in Sudbury

An OPP cruiser is seen in this Ontario Provincial Police photo. (OPP Photo)

A 41-year-old man from Sudbury has been charged with 28 offences after fleeing police in multiple locations on Highway 17.

The incident began Jan. 17 at 8:30 p.m. when an automated licence plate reader in use by Ontario Provincial Police alerted officers to a wanted man.

Manitoulin OPP tried to stop him in Baldwin Township, but he fled “at a high rate of speed,” police said in a news release Monday.

The vehicle was later located by Sudbury OPP, where it “intentionally collided with the police cruiser before fleeing again.”

A short time later, police received reports that the same vehicle was driving dangerously on the wrong side of the highway.

“OPP officers located the vehicle on Highway 17 and successfully deployed a tire deflation device,” police said.

“During attempts to stop the vehicle, the driver intentionally collided with an OPP cruiser. The vehicle was eventually brought to a stop safely and the driver was arrested.”

Police seized drugs believed to be cocaine and fentanyl during the arrest and $350 in cash.

The man has been charged with 28 offences, including resisting arrest, violating probation, failing to comply with a release order, six counts of assaulting police, two counts of assaulting police with a weapon, impaired driving, drug trafficking, stunt driving, driving with improper headlights and possessing more than one driver’s licence.

The accused appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice Bail Court in Sudbury on Jan. 18 and was released on bail.