Man hospitalized after stolen truck crashes into Mexican restaurant sign

Meals at Under the Volcano, a Mexican restaurant just west of downtown, came with a front-row seat to some police action on Wednesday.

Officers with London police say they’re investigating after a stolen pickup truck crashed into the restaurant’s sign on the corner of Wharncliffe and Riverside at around 11:30 a.m.

The truck belongs to Fournier Heating and Air Conditioning in Komoka, and was reported stolen early Wednesday morning, located a few hours later, and then found again after a brief police chase that ended with the crash.

Officers say the suspect fled on foot and was arrested a short distance away. A man also remains in hospital with undetermined injuries as a result of the crash.

Ethan Fournier, whose father owns the company the vehicle belongs to, called Corus radio station FM96 on Wednesday morning, and asked for help locating the truck. Fournier tells 980 CFPL that police credited the rock station with helping find the truck about an hour later.

“There was one OPP officer that said that they wouldn’t have found it unless they called FM96,” he explained.

Fournier believes a number of tips came into the police station from radio listeners, that helped officers in their search for the stolen Ford F-150 work truck.

“Within an hour, the truck was spotted, which is so cool,” he said.

It’s not the first time the F-150 was stolen, Fournier added.

“The Friday before last, the company truck was stolen, the same one.”

Fournier said the truck contained thousands of dollars of equipment, which had just been replaced after the previous theft.

“Another air-conditioning company actually found the truck with the doors open, and they called my dad and they’re like, ‘What’s going on with that?'”

Allison Murray, a server at the restaurant, was looking out the window when the crash happened.

“I was looking out the window, saw the car travelling pretty fast down, he hit the sign and before the vehicle even stopped, he was already running halfway in the parking lot.”

London police say the Special Investigations Unit has been notified.

Anyone with information is urged to contact London Police Service at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).