WATCH ABOVE: The man who admits to intentionally ramming police cars and leading police on a high speed chase spoke exclusively to Global News about what prompted his actions. Lorraine Nickel reports.
WINNIPEG – He rammed five police cars and led officers on a high speed chase outside the city. Now the man behind the wheel of a five-tonne truck is speaking out from behind bars exclusively to Global News.
“Five demerits destroyed me,” said Wayne Rennie from behind a reinforced glass partition in the Winnipeg Remand Centre. “I was just really frustrated, upset, and I said, you know, if I’m going to lose my job, I’m going lose it all.”
Rennie is facing 12 charges including assault, flight from police and mischief. He admits he lost it after getting a cellphone ticket and five demerits. He wasn’t happy knowing he’d probably lose his driver’s licence and his job at B & R Transfer.
“So then I went and carried on with my day and did some more deliveries, and then drove on Princess Street and saw some cop cars,” said Rennie, “I said you know, f*** it, I’m going to do it.”
Damage to the five crushed cruisers was extreme, pegged at roughly $100,000 by police.
“After that you left, where did you go?” Global News reporter Lorraine Nickel asked Rennie.
“I did some more deliveries. They say I’m a hard worker.”
“At what point did you decide to head out of town?” asked Nickel.
WATCH: Police arrest driver suspected of ramming 5 police vehicles
“I decided to head out of town when my boss said “Has anyone been in an accident?” So I had said, “Oh oh, jig’s up. I guess I can’t say I backed into a dock too fast or something, because the tail was bent on the truck.”
“Where were you going to go?”
“As far as the gas would get me,” said Rennie.
He said police weren’t chasing him until he purposely swerved at a cruiser car near Headingley.
“Why did you swerve in front of the cop car?”
“Get his attention, pursuit, I didn’t want it, it happened … I looked in the rear view mirror and all I can see cop car, cop car, cop car,” Rennie said with a laugh.
About 20 police cruisers chased Rennie down Highway 1. The 30-minute, nearly 100-kilometre pursuit ended near Portage la Prairie, Man. Rennie said he had managed to dodge seven spike belts, but when police put one on a bridge, he knew he couldn’t go any farther and stopped on the side of the road.
WATCH: Winnipeg Police, RCMP chase suspected road rage driver
“I gave up, ” said Rennie. “I’ve never seen that many cops and guns in my life. It was like a movie … assault rifles, you name it.”
After the interview, Rennie wanted Nickel to take a photo of him, but cellphones are not allowed in the Winnipeg Remand Centre. He had bruises on his face, bruises he said he got when officers arrested him.
“I got beat up. I guess it serves me right.”
Winnipeg police said Wednesday, “Mr. Rennie quite possibly suffered injuries while he resisted officers.”
Rennie knows he will be in jail for a while. He regrets what he did and learned a hard lesson, he said.
“I apologize for putting everyone in danger, and I’m glad no one got hurt,” said Rennie.
WATCH: Driver accused of ramming police cruisers facing long list of charges
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