Driver arrested for hitting police cruiser with stolen van: Brandon police

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The Brandon Police Service has arrested a 22-year-old man after a police cruiser was hit by a stolen van over the weekend.

The incident began at around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, when witnesses reported an impaired driver in the area of 18th Street and Richmond Avenue in Brandon.

Police then found the van – a stolen, red Dodge Grand Caravan – stopped at a northbound red light on 18th Street and Park Street.

Police attempted a vehicle stop, with an officer getting out of the car to talk to the driver. At this point, police allege the driver of the suspect vehicle pulled around the police cruiser and struck the back fender. Police note the suspect vehicle also hit another car stopped in traffic.

The driver of the Dodge Caravan then sped north on 18th Street and was seen on Victoria Avenue. Officers said they did not chase after the van due to heavy traffic and the driving of the suspect vehicle.

There was minor damage to the police cruiser and the second car that was hit, but no one was physically hurt.

Police identified the driver of the suspect vehicle and said they’d issue a warrant for his arrest on Monday.

Then on Tuesday around 8:40 a.m., the stolen Dodge Caravan was spotted in the downtown area of Brandon.

Police said the driver was travelling in the wrong direction on both Rosser Avenue and Princess Avenue.

Shortly after, officers were in a position to use a stop stick to deflate the van’s tires when it travelled east onto Pacific Avenue. Once the van drove over the stop stick and the tires were deflating, police were able to follow it as turned on 1st Street. Police said the suspect vehicle eventually stopped near the corner of 1st Street and Maryland Avenue because one of the tires came off the rim.

Police arrested four people who were in the stolen van.

The driver, a 22-year-old man, was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for a number of charges including assaulting a peace officer with a weapon and two counts of dangerous driving.

A 45-year-old man, who was a passenger in the van, appeared in court on Wednesday on charges of possession of property obtained by crime and failure to comply with probation.

Two female passengers were arrested and later released. A 24-year-old woman and a 36-year-old woman are scheduled to appear in court in December on charges of possession of property obtained by crime.