By Lasia Kretzel

Man involved in car chase and gun battle known to police

Jan 11, 2015 | 8:09 AM

The man who led officers on a city-wide car chase and gun battle was “unfortunately well known” to authorities according to Saskatoon Police Chief Clive Weighill.

“He’s had 20 contacts with our service since May 2014. He is very well known to our service,” Weighill said, adding he could not elaborate on the types of contacts police had with the 35-year-old.

Police said the 35-minute incident started when an officer tried to do a traffic stop near 8th Street and Goodwin Avenue around 2:40 p.m. The man inside the stolen red Pontiac refused to stop and started driving erratically, so the officer stopped the pursuit and told other officers in the area to be on the lookout. 

The man and the car were eventually spotted driving into oncoming traffic on 33rd Street.

Weighill said around 10 minutes later, a K-9 unit vehicle spotted the car heading north on Idylwyld Drive, and police thought the man might try to leave the city. He eventually turned around and came towards another K-9 unit car.

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“That was the first time we knew he had a firearm. He allegedly pointed his handgun at our K-9 officer,” Weighill said, adding police found at least one firearm, a handgun, in the car following the incident.

During the chase, police used spike strips three times, puncturing at least two of the car’s tires.

The man then allegedly fired at officers at Idylwyld Drive and 22nd Street, turned west on 22nd Street and continued down to Avenue R where he allegedly shot at officers again. He then came back towards downtown on 22nd Street where he was rammed by two police cruisers and came to a stop at the busy downtown intersection of 22nd Street and 2nd Avenue.

At some point during the chase, officers returned fire. Weighill could not confirm how many shots were fired by the suspect or police.

No one was injured.

The man driving the Pontiac was looked over by paramedics at the scene before being taken into custody by police. Witnesses said the lone man inside the car was able to walk.

Weighill said he faces a number of firearms and traffic related charges.

The intersection of 22nd Street and 2nd Avenue remains closed. Police tweeted that drivers can expect delays for several hours. Intersections within a one block radius on the scene are also closed.

Traffic restrictions are also in place at 25th Street and Idylwyld Drive, 22nd Street and Idylwyld Drive and 20th Street and Avenue R.

Downtown, a dozen cop cars, an ambulance, a fire truck, and more than two dozen officers filled the intersection, which was quickly surrounded by police tape. 

In the middle of it all, the red Pontiac was still smoking; its front hood crumpled from the crash. Glass, plastic and red car-parts lay scattered around the intersection.

Weighill said incidents like Saturday’s are “very very rare” but that the crime climate in Saskatoon has changed.

“With a lot of the drugs, methamphetamine seems to be a big driver here in Saskatoon. That’s causing the police service all kinds of issues,” he said.

During the chase, several residents followed police and the suspect.

Weighill said people shouldn’t follow police or a suspect during a chase and should pull over to the side of the road and let it pass. 

news@panow.com 

On Twitter: @princealbertnow