A Nova Scotia man is facing a slew of charges after allegedly driving on the wrong way of a highway during rush hour, crashing his vehicle, carjacking a truck with a machete, and ultimately smashing into a gas station while RCMP were in pursuit.
The series of events began around 5 p.m. Thursday, when RCMP received numerous 911 calls about a vehicle travelling eastbound in the westbound lane of Highway 101 near Ellershouse. The black Jaguar was forcing oncoming vehicles off the road, according to police.
WATCH: A 38-year-old man is facing a slew of charges after he allegedly crashed a car, stole a truck, then crashed that into an Irving gas station in Lower Sackville, N.S., on Thursday. Elizabeth McSheffrey reports.
The Jaguar eventually collided with an oncoming SUV and RCMP say it was at this point, that the suspect got out of the vehicle and “forcibly took possession” of a Dodge truck that was stopped alongside the highway.
“He got out of his vehicle, he was armed with a machete, and he approached the driver of a grey Dodge pickup truck that was stopped to help with the accident,” said Cpl. Lisa Croteau.
RCMP say the suspect then drove the truck heading east in the westbound lane of Highway 101 towards Lower Sackville.
“He was observed driving on the centre line of the highway, forcing oncoming vehicles to the shoulder,” RCMP said in a news release.
RCMP say their officers were in pursuit of the truck with their lights and sirens activated.
“As members got closer, the suspect drove directly into the path of responding members. The suspect did not stop, continued past police and took Exit 2 onto the Beaver Bank Connector,” said RCMP.
According to police, the truck then sped away until it crashed into the front of a Circle K store at the Irving gas station on Sackville Drive.
RCMP say two people inside the service station received non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to hospital by EHS.
“It’s definitely a noteworthy file that we’ve had that occurred. Lots of investigators involved and lots of reports still coming in to figure out exactly what happened,” said Cpl. Lisa Croteau of Nova Scotia RCMP.
An online fundraiser for one of the victims, who was an employee at the gas station, says he has a broken femur, a cracked spine, a broken ankle and a torn liver.
The suspect was uninjured.
David Raymond Farrell, 38, from Windsor, appeared in Dartmouth Provincial Court on Friday afternoon and is charged with:
- dangerous operation of a conveyance x 2
- robbery with violence
- possession of weapon for dangerous purpose
- mischief x 3
- flight from peace officer
- assault a peace officer with a weapon x 2
- mischief endangering life
- attempt assault with a weapon
- uttering threats to cause bodily harm or death
- operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm x 2
- operation of a conveyance while impaired causing bodily harm x 2
- mischief over $5,000
Farrell was issued a five-day assessment and has been remanded until his next court appearance on Feb. 7.
RCMP note several vehicles were damaged during the incident.
They’re asking people who have videos or photos that were taken during the series of events to contact their local detachment. Anyone with information should call Halifax District RCMP at 902 490-5020 or Crime Stoppers.
With files from Graeme Benjamin