A 48-year-old man is facing numerous charges after he attempted to flee from police in a stolen vehicle in Clarington on Wednesday.
Air1 followed the stolen vehicle for approximately one hour and just under 100 kilometers before officers were able to safely bring the incident to a safe conclusion.
On September 4 at 10:15 pm, members of East Division and the DRPS police helicopter Air1 were called to a suspicious vehicle that entered the Owasco RV compound on Rundle Road in Clarington.
Air1 located the suspicious Ford F-350 pickup truck situated between several RV’s. As a police vehicle approached the truck, the suspect fled at a high rate of speed on Rundle Road. The truck was confirmed to be a stolen vehicle from the Kingston area.
Air1 strategically followed the suspect vehicle, allowing ground units to follow from a safe distance. The truck was observed to drive through residential and commercial areas in Bowmanville and then proceeded to merge onto Highway 401 westbound. The suspect vehicle exited at Brock Street in Whitby and drove at a high rate of speed in residential areas. The suspect vehicle went back onto Highway 401 eastbound and exited at Bowmanville Avenue and north on Highway 57.
The vehicle continued driving at high rates of speed in oncoming traffic at times. Officers from North Division were able to deploy a stop stick and the suspect vehicle eventually came to a stop on the westbound lanes of Highway 7. The suspect was arrested without incident. A loaded firearm was recovered in the vehicle.
George Maxwell, age 48, of Balsam Lake Road in City of Kawartha Lakes is charged with: Possession of a Controlled Substance x2; Drive While Under Suspension x3; Operate A Conveyance While Prohibited x3; Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000; Fail To Comply with Recognizance x2; Possession of a Firearm in Motor Vehicle; Contravene Storage; Careless Storage of a Firearm; Possession of a Loaded Restricted Firearm; Possession of a Firearm Knowing Unauthorized; Unauthorized Possession of Firearm; Fail to Comply With Probation Order; Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000.
He was held for a bail hearing.
To view some of the Air1 footage, visit our YouTube account under Durham Regional Police Service or click on this link – https://youtu.be/MgXuBmbMjsc