A 33-year-old London, Ont., man and a 35-year-old Chatham, Ont., man are facing multiple charges after police allege a vehicle struck a variety store and later fled from officers at a high rate of speed before crashing into a street light early Friday morning in west London.
It all began around 3 a.m. when police say they were contacted after a pickup truck hit the wall of Ray’s Variety at 243 Wharncliffe Rd. N, located at the southeast corner of Wharncliffe Road North and Oxford Street West.
The truck then drove south from the area, where officers later located it in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven at 72 Wharncliffe Rd. N. Police say they attempted to stop the truck but were unsuccessful after the driver fled at a high rate of speed.
The truck appears to have travelled northbound on Wharncliffe where it crashed into a light standard at the curve in the road near Beaufort Street, where Wharncliffe turns into Western Road.
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Light rain was in the forecast at the time of the collision, according to Environment Canada.
A male passenger in the vehicle fled on foot, but the driver was found inside the truck and was arrested, police said.
Police say the suspect was a prohibited driver, and note that unspecified “drug paraphernalia was observed throughout the cabin of the vehicle.”
Stolen licence plates were also seized, police said, along with small bags that contained suspected cocaine.
The driver of the vehicle, a 35-year-old man from Chatham, is facing multiple charges, including impaired operation, dangerous operation, operation while prohibited, fail to comply with undertaking, fail to stop for police, and fail to comply with demand made by peace officer.
The suspect who fled the scene was later apprehended around 3:20 a.m. on an outstanding warrant, police said.
That individual, identified as a 33-year-old London man, faces charges of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and possession of a Schedule I substance.
Both were scheduled to appear in court Friday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
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