Manitoba’s police watchdog is looking into a car crash Saturday night involving a stolen truck and a Winnipeg police cruiser.
According to the Independent Investigation Unit, the crash occurred in the 800 block of Dudley Avenue after the owner of an F-150 discovered two people attempting to drive off with his truck. He, and a second man, leapt into the truck’s box and called 911.
The suspects sped off with the two men still in the back, IIU said.
Using real-time directions from the men in the back, officers started to close in on the area and tried unsuccessfully to stop the truck with a tire-deflation device.
Eventually, the truck went down a back lane on Brandon Avenue onto Osborne Street, where it crashed into a police cruiser.
The F-150 hit the police car so hard, the two men in the back where thrown from the box. Both were taken to hospital with serious injuries, authorities said. Winnipeg police say an officer was also injured, and was treated and released from hospital.
The truck’s owner suffered several fractures involving his clavicle, skull, and spine, triggering an IIU probe.
Winnipeg police said two teenage suspects were arrested near the scene of the crash. A 17-year-old boy was detained and faces a dozen charges including theft, and a 15-year-old girl was charged with theft over $5,000 and released on an undertaking.
Both teenagers are OK despite having non-serious injuries, police said.
Investigators ask anyone with more information or video footage to call the police watchdog at 1-844-667-6060.
The investigation is ongoing.