Timmins police say stunt driving suspect threatened them with bear spray

Timmins Police Service headquarters. (CTV Northern Ontario file photo)

A 34-year-old Timmins man is facing numerous charges following an incident in the north end of the city Thursday morning.

“While on patrol, a Timmins police officer observed a pickup truck being driven in an erratic fashion on Fifth Avenue,” police said in a news release Friday.

“The officer observed the driver continuously and persistently spinning the rear wheels of the vehicle.”

The driver initially refused to stop for police but came to a stop a short time later on Cedar Street North.

“The driver deployed a canister of bear spray within the vehicle and persisted in pointing the canister at the responding officers,” police said.

“The driver eventually complied with the demands made of him and was arrested. A quantity of a controlled substance was located on the driver’s person along with a knife hanging around his neck.”

He is now charged with impaired driving, stunt driving, driving while prohibited, fleeing from police, assaulting police, weapons possession, failing to comply with probation orders, drug possession and driving with an improper muffler.

The vehicle has been impounded.

“The accused person remains in police custody awaiting a bail hearing slated for (Friday) at the Ontario Court of Justice to address the charges laid against him,” police said.