An allegedly meth-fueled crime spree – that culminated in an armed and barricaded situation at an Elmwood home that went up in flames – has resulted in a laundry list of charges for a Winnipeg man.
Police said the suspect was involved in a crash on the Nairn Overpass Thursday afternoon, fleeing to a home in the 400 block of Nairn Avenue and barricading himself inside.
The man locked himself in the home – along with three other adults who were inside for hours – eventually setting the home on fire, said police.
The Nairn Avenue incident, however, was part of a long string of criminal activity dating back to May 14, when the man is believed to have been involved in a carjacking near Cavalier Drive and Portage Avenue.
He’s also suspected in licence plate thefts from a vehicle on Talbot Avenue a few days later, as well as a firearm incident earlier on Thursday, as well a robbery at a Nairn Avenue store where police say he stole around $330 in merchandise.
Around 1:45 p.m. Thursday, the stolen vehicle, with the stolen plates affixed to it, was seen speeding, running red lights and driving into oncoming traffic, before crashing into another vehicle on the overpass.
The man then threatened to shoot police and fled to the Nairn Avenue house, where he refused to leave for six-and-a-half hours. Police were able to safely remove three people from the house, with a fourth escaping soon after the man arrived.
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At around 8:10 p.m., police said the man started a fire inside the house. Officers heard him yelling for help and saying he was burning alive. The Tactical Support Team had to break a window to pull the man to safety.
Police said the damage was estimated at $100,000 and the house is considered a total loss. A cat may have also died in the fire.
Cst. Jay Murray said the house was known to police, and was the site of the city’s first murder of 2019 – although there was nothing suspicious happening at the house before the man unexpectedly ran inside.
“I know there’s a lot of focus on that residence itself, but I think we need to look at the bigger picture, which is that somebody ran into that residence and then started to cause the issues that we have been faced with,” he said.
Gordon William Kovich, 29, has been charged with breaking and entering, arson, uttering threats, failing to comply with probation, dangerous operation of a conveyance, operating a conveyance while prohibited, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, possession of property obtained by crime, and theft under $5,000.
There were also outstanding warrants for charges of failing to comply with probation, failing to comply with conditions, failing to attend court, and public mischief.
“My understanding is a total of 32 police units were dispatched to this incident and later for the fire, and additional WFPS units were dispatched,” said Murray.
“That’s a lot of resources that are utilized for an incident like this.”
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