A male teenager is in police custody after a police pursuit ended with a vehicle losing control and crashing into a Cambridge business.
The incident started around 1 a.m. Wednesday when an OPP officer spotted a Cadillac driving erratically northbound on Franklin Boulevard.
OPP Staff Sgt. John Mraud says “He noticed a vehicle in front of him that was having a hard time staying in his lane.”
When the officer activated the cruiser’s lights, the driver took off, reaching speeds of 100 km/h in a 60 km/h zone.
The car left the roadway at the intersection of Franklin Boulevard and Sheldon Drive, barely missed a street post and hydro pole then crashed into the front of Golder Associates.
A pillar that supports a roof structure at the entrance to the building was knocked over and the car came to rest inside the building.
The driver attempted to flee but was apprehended by officers in a second OPP cruiser with the assistance of the Waterloo Regional Police Service.
The teen was surprisingly unhurt, Mraud says, “The potential for serious injury or worse was certainly there with those speeds, those kinds of driving patterns and subsequently striking a building.”
Further investigation revealed that the car the suspect was driving was stolen. The owner has been notified, but OPP say there isn’t much left of the vehicle.
A 16-year-old from Clifford, Ont. has been charged with dangerous driving, flight from police, possession of a controlled substance and possession of stolen property over $5,000.
He was release on a promise to appear and is scheduled to appear in court in October.
The collision left about 40 employees of Golder Associates either working from home or at other office locations after finding the early morning surprise.
Joe Tavares says “When I arrived on the scene there was various police cruisers and then obviously the car was still in place.”
So far no damage estimate is available, and it’s unclear when employees will be able to return to the offices.
“The landlord obviously will be investigating and assessing the damage and once that’s completed and once it’s safe for our employees to return then they will return,” Tavares says.
