By Taylor MacPherson

UPDATE: High-Speed chase suspect makes first court appearance

Oct 11, 2016 | 1:58 PM

The 40-year-old driver who led police on a high-speed chase Saturday made his first appearance today in Prince Albert Provincial Court to answer a battery of charges.

Michael W. Taylor of Arborfield, Sask. is facing charges of evading a police officer, operating a vehicle in a dangerous manner, resisting arrest, operating a motor vehicle while disqualified and breaching a conditional sentence order.

Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) initially attempted to stop Taylor after his vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign in the 300 block of River St. E at approximately 1 a.m. Oct. 8. When officers attempted to pull over Taylor’s vehicle, a silver four-door sedan, he fled, driving erratically and disobeying traffic signals in his efforts to shake pursuing police.

The chase continued until a stop stick – a device used to puncture tires – was deployed by PAPS, forcing Taylor to stop.

“When the vehicle finally came to a complete stop, the driver exited and took off on foot,” Prince Albert Police Sgt. Travis Willie told paNOW. “Both our patrol units and K9 units were on scene, and he was taken into custody with the help of the K9.”

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According to Willie, service dog Febee made the collar.

The chase was conducted at very high speed, especially in an urban area. Taylor drove faster than 100km/h at times, Willie said. Amateur footage of the incident shared to social media shows five police vehicles in pursuit of Taylor, running under lights and sirens.

According to Willie, there was no evidence Taylor was intoxicated during the chase, and the pursuit luckily caused no harm to bystanders or property.

Janetta Bird witnessed the chase while she was walking with her cousin on 28th St.

“I could hear a really loud dragging noise and a bunch of sirens, and I automatically thought it was a chase,” Bird told paNOW. She quickly took out her phone and started filming.

“We saw this car going really fast and it was fish-tailing all over the road and there were sparks and pieces of the tire were flying off,” Bird said.

According to Bird, Taylor’s vehicle appeared to be driving on blown-out tires, and was being chased by five police vehicles. She estimates their speed at “maybe 100 [km/h], or even faster.”

Taylor will be appearing again tomorrow morning for a show cause hearing.

Taylor.Macpherson@jpbg.ca