Suspect driving stolen vehicle leads Sudbury police on a chase before his arrest

Greater Sudbury police cruiser. (File)

Greater Sudbury Police officers conducting spot checks Sunday night caught a suspended driver who was behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle.

While the suspect tried to flee, the light snow Sunday night allowed police to follow his trail and place him under arrest.

The incident began around 10:10 p.m. when police set up a spot check on Bancroft Drive.

“Officers saw the driver of a dark pickup truck intentionally attempt to evade the spot check,” police said in a news release Monday.

“Upon seeing the police cruisers and officers, the driver made an abrupt stop by entering a driveway, waiting a short period of time, and then backing out of the driveway to travel in the opposite direction.”

Police followed and once they turned on their emergency light, the driver tried to flee.

“The driver of the vehicle did not pull over and continued to drive erratically, travelling at a high rate of speed, swerving across both lanes of traffic and bouncing off the curb,” police said.

Followed tracks in the snow

“In the interest of public safety, officers disengaged the vehicle that was last seen traveling on Howey Drive.”

The suspect vehicle was located around 10:30 p.m. as it turned onto Morris Street.

“Officers located the vehicle unoccupied with the driver’s door open on Marshall Lane,” police said.

“Due to the fresh snow, officers from our ERU tracked the footprints to a parking lot on Van Horne Street where the driver was found hiding.”

A search uncovered drug paraphernalia. He refused to give his name, but he was identified by a search of the police database. He was under several restrictions, including a Canada-wide ban on driving because he had been convicted previously of dangerous driving.

He was also suspended for not paying traffic fines, failing to stop and other related offences.

He refused efforts by the drug recognition expert to evaluate him. Police found the truck had been reported stolen and there was a large knife in the vehicle.

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The 39-year-old man has been charged with fleeing police, dangerous driving, impaired driving, obstructing police, violating probation orders, driving while prohibited, possession of property obtained by crime, mischief and weapons possession, among other offences.

He was scheduled to appear in bail court Monday.