A stolen semi smashed into several cars down Main Street late Friday morning before slamming into a wrought iron fence on Selkirk Avenue and Salter Street.
Brian Anderson said he was working on Main Street when he heard a semi-trailer smash into vehicles.
He said victims told him the semi continued on “rumbling down Main Street.”
680 CJOB confirms at least four vehicles have been hit, including a Duffy’s Taxi vehicle carrying young passengers.
The owner of the truck, Karnail Dillion, told Global News it was stolen from a Tim Hortons at about 10:30 a.m. when the driver headed into the restaurant.
He said the pair must have had some training in order to be able to drive the truck and bring it up to speed.
While the driver wouldn’t say for sure, it’s presumed the truck was running when it was stolen.
Dillion said he hopped into a cab and started chasing the truck while calling police.
He estimated as many as 25 vehicles were hit.
Another witness told Global News that had the fence not been around the parking lot, “there would have been casualties.”
Police confirmed the semi was reported stolen Friday morning from the Inkster and King Edward area.
At one point, the semi left the city via McPhillips Street before returning to Winnipeg.
“It ended up crashing at the intersection of Selkirk Avenue and Salter Street,” said Cst. Rob Carver.
“No injuries, but I can tell you that on the way out of town and the way back in, the truck ran into a number of vehicles, so we’ve got collisions and vehicle damage.
“We had two people in it, a driver and a passenger. We have both of these people under arrest.”
Carver confirmed “a number” of vehicles were hit but there were no injuries.
“The guy in the truck took off running out the back lane and he ended up getting caught,” said another witness, Jay, who said he was at a nearby Esso station when he had loud ‘bang’ sounds and went outside to investigate.
“It was crazy. I’m just glad there was no one around who ended up getting hit. That’s what makes me happy. I’m glad there was no pedestrians around that got hit.
“I heard they were doing about 100 km/h. I don’t know if that’s true or not.”
The intersections were closed for a few hours, but didn’t impact rush hour.
Thefts of these trucks are rare, said Manitoba Public Insurance spokesperson Brian Smiley, fewer than 10 a year on average in Manitoba.
-With files from Diana Foxall, Alison MacKinnon and Tristan Field Jones
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