An 18-year-old man from Southwest Middlesex is facing charges after police tracked down a stolen vehicle and used a spike belt to stop it.
Police say the chase started on Longwoods Rd. near Westdel Bourne just outside of London at around 2am Monday.
Investigators say when an officer tried to get a 1998 Dodge pick-up truck to pull over, instead of slowing down, the pick-up kept speeding in the westbound lane of the road.
The officer tried to get the driver's attention by passing it, but the truck ended up hitting the cruiser instead.
According to police, the officer inside didn't suffer any injuries as a result of the collision and the cruiser only sustained minor damage.
At that point, the officer whose cruiser was hit stopped pursuing the truck and called in more units from Middlesex OPP, the Chippewas of the Thames Police Service, Oneida Nation of the Thames First Nation Police Service, and the Munsee Delaware Nation Police Service.
Officers were able to successfully lay out a spike belt on the road, which eventually stopped the fleeing vehicle.
Police say the driver was the only person inside at the time, and he was arrested without incident.
Investigators later learned that the pick-up truck was reported stolen to Elgin OPP on Sunday.
An 18-year-old man is now charged with the following:
- Flight while being pursued by a peace officer
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Possession of break-in tools
- Driving a motor vehicle without a licence
He was taken into custody pending a bail hearing.