KITCHENER -- A trial has begun for a 31-year-old man charged with six offences in connection to a stolen van and two stolen rifles.

Court heard that Joshua Hannaford allegedly stole a work van and a pair of guns from a home in the Hamilton area.

The police chase ended in a confrontation with police in Cambridge, where Hannaford was shot by a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer.

Hannaford was charged with:

  • Possession of a stolen car
  • Driving while disqualified
  • Possession of firearms while prohibited
  • Possession of two stolen firearms
  • Breach probation
  • Driving from officers during police pursuit

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The homeowner whose things were stolen was the first to testify on Monday.

Ricci Fazarri says that, on the afternoon of March 31, 2018, he came home to find his work van gone.

He told court that that wasn't the only thing missing: he testified that two rifles had also been taken from his basement.

Court heard that the van had a GPS unit and was tracked to Cambridge.

Const. Jason Woytaz took the stand, telling court he spotted the van just after 4 p.m. the same day it was stolen.

Woytaz testified that several cruisers responded, all transmitting over radio ways to close in on the van on Old Mill Road.

The officer says he saw the van turn into a field. He and another responding officer repositioned their cruisers and got out in an attempt to stop the suspect in case he ran.

Woytaz says that's when he heard over the radio that the suspect was spotted on foot closer to Highway 401. Moments later, Woytaz says he heard "shots fired" over the radio, but testified he did not see the shooting.

In his open statement, the Crown noted that it was Sgt. Richard Dorling who confronted Hannaford, and that Hannaford was shot in the thigh.

He was taken to Hamilton General Hospital by air ambulance.

Hannaford remains in custody and was brought to the courtroom on Monday in a wheelchair.

CTV News has previously reported that the province's Special Investigations Unit had charged Dorling with attempted murder.

Dorling's preliminary inquiry starts in July.

As for Hannaford's trial, it continues on Tuesday and is expected to last for about three weeks.