A 30-year-old man faces more than a dozen charges after a stolen vehicle was observed travelling at high speed on the wrong side of a divided roadway Monday morning and later prompted multiple 911 calls from community members reporting erratic driving in the downtown core. Just after 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 17, a Greater Sudbury Police Service officer was conducting traffic control at the intersection of Notre Dame Avenue and Kathleen Street when the vehicle was first spotted. “The officer broadcast a description of the vehicle over police radio,” police said in a news release Tuesday. Minutes later, community members began contacting 911 to report the same vehicle making multiple U-turns and cutting off other drivers in the downtown core. During that time, an individual also contacted the 911 Emergency Communications Centre to report that their vehicle had been stolen from outside a business on Notre Dame Avenue. The stolen vehicle matched the description of the vehicle involved in the traffic complaints. Vehicle located unoccupied “Officers subsequently located the vehicle, unoccupied, at 720 Bruce Avenue,” police said. Through the investigation, police said officers were able to confirm that the individual seen exiting the vehicle was the same individual observed unlawfully taking the vehicle from the business on Notre Dame Avenue. False name given Just after 1:15 p.m., officers located and arrested the individual believed to be responsible. “When asked to provide identification, the individual gave officers a false name. Officers were able to confirm the individual’s identity through police databases,” police said in the release. According to police, the investigation further revealed that the individual was a suspended driver and was bound by a probation order. Additionally, a search incident subsequent to his arrest resulted in officers locating what police called “a small quantity of suspected illicit drugs.” Police commend coordinated response “We would like to acknowledge and commend the efforts of our officers and 911 ECC communicators for their coordinated response and investigative efforts, which led to the swift location, identification and apprehension of an individual who posed an elevated risk to public safety,” wrote Sudbury police spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn in the news release. Numerous charges laid The accused has been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime, two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle, obstructing a peace officer, stunt driving, driving while prohibited, driving while under suspension, two drug possession offences and failing to comply with a probation order. The local was held in police custody overnight and is scheduled to appear at a bail hearing on Aug. 18.
