Man faces numerous charges after twice crashing on city's south side

THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Police have taken a 28-year-old Fort Frances man into custody after a pair of collisions on the city’s south side.

Police allege the crashes were related.

In a release issued on Thursday, police say the first call came in on Tuesday afternoon at about 4:16 p.m., the caller reporting a pick-up truck had crashed into a pole after spinning out of control rounding a bend in the 400 block of Francis Street East near Syndicate Avenue.

The male driver reportedly freed the truck from the collision site and fled at high speed westbound on Francis Street.

A vehicle matching the description had been spotted by police in an unmarked vehicle about half an hour prior to the collision.
Police say they clocked the driver doing about 130 kilometres-an-hour, nearly colliding with another vehicle.

Officers were unable to pursue, as their vehicle was not equipped with emergency lights.

At 4:23 p.m. police were called to the intersection of Brown and Arthur streets, after the truck in question failed to stop for a stop sign and collided with another pick-up .

Both vehicles suffered extensive damage.

Witnesses on scene said had the suspect vehicle not collided with the second truck, it likely would have struck a nearby fast-food restaurant.

Officer recovered an air-soft type handgun on the seat before arresting the suspect.

The male has been charged with dangerous driving, impaired driving and driving with more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in his blood and possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose.

Police are asking any witnesses who might have seen any of the three incidents to come forward.