Ontario Provincial Police say a RIDE checkpoint investigation in Meaford led to multiple arrests, injured officers and the seizure of a firearm after a suspect allegedly fled from police in a stolen vehicle.
According to investigators, officers attempted to arrest a driver around 1 a.m. on May 19 after discovering the individual was breaching court-ordered conditions. Police said the driver sped away from the checkpoint, prompting a coordinated response involving several local and provincial agencies, including the OPP Aviation Unit.
Authorities later located the suspect at a residence in Chatsworth, where police allege the individual fled in a stolen vehicle and crashed into a police cruiser. Two officers suffered minor injuries in the collision.
The suspect then attempted to escape on foot before being arrested following a short pursuit. Two additional individuals inside the stolen vehicle were also taken into custody. During the investigation, officers seized a .22-calibre bolt-action rifle.
A 24-year-old man from Owen Sound faces numerous charges, including possession of stolen property over $5,000, multiple firearms offences, dangerous driving, assaulting peace officers with a weapon, violating a firearms prohibition order and failing to comply with release conditions.
Police also charged a 36-year-old South Bruce Peninsula man and an 18-year-old from Kincardine with possession of stolen property over $5,000 and several weapons-related offences.
All three accused appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice in Owen Sound for bail hearings. The two passengers were later released under court-imposed conditions, while the alleged driver remains in custody.