Stolen vehicle hits police cruiser and crashes on Highway 401, OPP say
CBC News | Posted: March 4, 2025 5:59 PM | Last Updated: March 6
Eastbound highway closed at Summerstown Road for about 10 hours
- UPDATE: On March 6, OPP said a 19-year-old from Montreal faces 13 charges after the crash including theft of a motor vehicle, careless driving and failing to properly wear a seat belt.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say a stolen vehicle struck a parked police cruiser and crashed into a ditch after the driver attempted to avoid a spike belt on Highway 401 near Cornwall on Tuesday morning.
In a news release, OPP said the stolen vehicle was travelling eastbound from the Toronto area when it encountered the roadblock near Fraser Road in South Glengarry Township around 10 a.m.
"The suspect avoided a spike belt deployed by officers and subsequently struck a stationary police vehicle before entering the ditch," OPP said.
The lone occupant of the vehicle has been released from hospital and remains in police custody. Two officers were also taken to hospital for assessment, OPP said.
Eastbound lanes of Highway 401 were closed in the area for more than 10 hours.
On Tuesday afternoon, Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which looks into police actions that lead to death or serious injuries, first said it was investigating the incident and then said the injuries were not serious enough.