A 24-year-old Oshawa man is facing multiple charges after an alleged impaired driving crash involving a police cruiser in Pickering early Wednesday morning.
According to Durham police, two cruisers were responding to a call around 3 a.m. near Kingston Road and the Highway 401 westbound off-ramp at Whites Road. As both police vehicles turned left onto Kingston Road, an Audi SUV reportedly ran a red light. The driver narrowly avoided the first cruiser before striking the second one at high speed.
The officer in the struck cruiser was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Police say the Audi driver tried to flee on foot but was quickly arrested.
Investigators later determined the man was driving with only a G1 licence. Alberto-Marius Renghea has been charged with impaired operation causing bodily harm, leaving the scene of a crash causing bodily harm, careless driving causing bodily harm, and operating a vehicle without a valid permit. He was released on an undertaking pending a court appearance.